Voices Together ‎#549

549. Be Thou My Vision

1 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.

2 Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word;
I ever with thee, and thou with me, Lord.
Born of thy love, thy child may I be,
thou in me dwelling and I one with thee.

3 Be thou my buckler, my sword for the fight.
Be thou my dignity, thou my delight,
thou my soul’s shelter, thou my high tow’r.
Raise thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.

4 Riches I heed not, nor vain empty praise;
thou mine inheritance, now and always.
Thou and thou only, first in my heart,
Ruler of heaven, my treasure thou art.

5 "*True Light of heaven, when vict’ry is won
may I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

*Alternate phrase: “High King”

Text Information

• First Line: Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
• Title: Be Thou My Vision
• Translator: Mary Elizabeth Byrne
• Meter: 10.10.9.10
• Publication Date: 2020
• Scripture:
  Psalm 86:11
  ;
  Isaiah 60:19-22
  ;
  Ephesians 6:10-18
• Topic: Guidance; Ordination; Union with God; Children: Appropriate for; Darkness and Light; Following Christ; God: Images and Names of; Heritage: Before 1500; Praying; Wisdom
• Source: Irish traditional, “Rob tu mo bhoile, a Comdi cride,” ca. 8th c.; trans. Mary Elizabeth Byrne (Ireland), Ériu, Vol. 2, 1905, alt.

Tune Information

• Name: SLANE
• Harmonizer: Martin Shaw
• Meter: 10.10.9.10
• Key: E Major
• Source: Irish traditional, Old Irish Folk Music and Songs, 1909; harm. Martin Shaw (England), Enlarged Songs of Praise, 1931, alt.
• Copyright: harm. © 1927 Oxford University Press