Be Thou My Vision

I love hymns. Some of the most beautiful songs ever written are the songs about God and His people. Songs like “Amazing Grace”, “How Great Thou Art” and “The Old Rugged Cross” have blessed generations of Christians.

One hymn that has recently become popular again was written well over 1000 years ago. It is an Old Irish poem which we know today as “Be Thou My Vision.”

After it was translated into English, Eleanor Hull put it to verse and it was sung to an Irish folk tune. The lyrics are a prayer of protection written at a time when Irish clans were warring among each other. It portrays God as Our Protector by drawing on the biblical illustrations of the armor of God in Ephesians 6.

The worldly images of shields, swords and battlefields all work, somehow, to lead our thoughts to the higher ideals of shelter, high towers and a victorious King. Take a few minutes today and listen to a good version of it. I recommend the solo rendition by Sam Robson. You will be thankful you did! Here are just a few verses of the hymn:

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art

Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;

Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;

Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;

Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:

Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,

May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.