Church Hymnary (4th ed.) ‎#465

465. Be thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart

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

2 Be thou my Wisdom, be thou my true Word;
I ever with thee, and thou with me, Lord;
thou my great Father: thine own I would be;
thou in me dwelling, and I one with thee.

3 Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight;
be thou my dignity, thou my delight,
thou my soul's shelter, and thou my high tower:
raise thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

4 Riches I heed not, nor earth's empty praise,
thou mine inheritance, now and always;
thou, and thou only, the first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my treasure thou art.

5 High King of Heaven, after 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.

Text Information

• First Line: Be thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart
• Translator: Mary Elizabeth Byrne (188-1931)
• revised: Eleanor Henrietta Hull (1860-1935) (alt.)
• Meter: 10 10 10 10 Irregular
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 2005
• Scripture:
  1 Corinthians 1:24
  ;
  Ephesians 6:10-17
  ;
  John 3:16
  ;
  Psalm 16:5-6
  ;
  Psalm 63:6
• Topic: Life in Christ: Christ Risen - Reign and Priesthood; Conflict; God: Protection of; God: names and imags of; Heaven
• Source: Irish, 8th century

Tune Information

• Name: SLANE
• Harmonizer: David Evans (1874-1948)
• Meter: 10 10 10 10 Irregular
• Key: E♭ Major
• Source: Irish traditional melody
• Copyright: © Oxford University Press