Common Praise ‎#386

386. Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart

1 Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
be all else but naught to me, save that thou art;
be thou my best thought in the day and the night,
both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light.

2 Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word,
be thou ever with me, and I with thee, Lord;
be thou my great Father, and I thy true son;
be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

3 Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight;
be thou my whole armour, be thou my true might;
be thou my soul's shelter, be thou my strong tower:
O raise thou me heavenward, great Power of my power.

4 Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise:
be thou mine inheritance now and always;
be thou and thou only the first in my heart;
O Sovereign of heaven, my treasure thou art.

5 High King of heaven, thou heaven's bright Sun,
O grant me its joys after victory is won;
great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all.

Text Information

• First Line: Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
• Translator: Mary Byrne, 1880-1931
• Versifier: Eleanor Hull, 1860-1935
• Meter: 10 11 11 11
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 2000
• Scripture:
  1 Corinthians 1:24
  ;
  1 Corinthians 1:30
  ;
  2 Samuel 22:2-3
  ;
  Acts 26:19
  ;
  Ephesians 6:10-13
  ;
  Joshua 13:33
  ;
  Numbers 18:22
  ;
  Psalm 3:5
• Topic: Baptism of Christ: Year A; Proper 6: Year B; Proper 13: Year C; Third Sunday Before Advent: Year A
• Source: Irish, 8th century
• Copyright: © The Estate of the Editor of The Poem Book of the Gael by permission of the publisher, Chatto & Windus, a division of Random House Group Ltd.
• Notes: Now Public Domain

Tune Information

• Name: SLANE
• Harmonizer: Erik Routley, 1917-1982
• Meter: 10 11 11 11
• Key: E♭ Major
• Source: Irish traditional melody
• Copyright: Harmony © Oxford University Press