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.
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, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father and I, Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father and I, Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
3
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise;
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart;
O King of glory, my treasure Thou art.
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart;
O King of glory, my treasure Thou art.
4
O King of glory, my victory won;
Rule and reign in me ’til Thy will be done;
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall;
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Rule and reign in me ’til Thy will be done;
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall;
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
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Storrs, Connecticut, United States
The translator for this hymn was Mary Elizabeth Byrne born July 2, 1880, Dublin, Ireland and died January 19, 1931, Dublin, Ireland.
A linguist, Byrne attended the Dominican Convent in Dublin, at the University of Ireland, where she graduated in 1905. She received the Chancellor’s Gold Medal at the Royal University of Ireland. She worked for the Board of Intermediate Education, and helped compile the catalog of the Royal Irish Academy. Mary contributed to the Old and Mid-Irish Dictionary and Dictionary of the Irish Language and wrote a treatise on England in the Age of Chaucer.
In 1905, she translated into prose an old English poem from around the eighth century.
The English translation was versified in 1912 by Eleanor Hull and it became the hymn “Be Thou My Vision”.
Eleanor Henrietta Hull (1860-1935) was educated at Alexander college, Dublin, Ireland. Hull’s passion was Gaelic culture: she founded the Irish Text Society and was President of the Irish Literary Society of London.
Each stanza of the hymn “Be Thou My Vision” is full of poetic and spiritual meaning:
The word “vision” is used in this case to mean not only something seen but a goal to aspire to. The hymn expresses an all-encompassing life commitment such as we see in the Apostle Paul who confessed, “Not that I have already obtained or I am already perfected; but I pursue, if even I may lay hold of that for which I also have been laid hold of by Christ Jesus” (Phi. 3:12). “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).
These beautiful words constitute an early Celtic understanding of the person of Christ and his attributes. In personifying various things that the Lord has given the believer, the poet tells us in effect, that the Lord is those things. To have them, we need to have Him , and to have Him is to have them. (For “my high Tower, ” Ps. 144:2; stanzas 1&3). Stanza 3 is from the earlier version of the hymn.
The writer glories in the fact that the Lord dwells within him and then he dwells in God. (Stanza 2). The Scriptures clearly teach that the Spirit of God indwells each Christian; this mingling is referred to Christ’s usage in John to refer to the believer’s close and unbroken fellowship with the Lord. (John 15:5; “Abide in Me and I in You).
The great hope and joy of the writer is that one day he will be with the Lord in the Heavenly kingdom, there to behold Him and all His glory (Psalm 17:15 stanza-5). Stanza 5 is in the original version.
(Wordwisehymns. com)
Storrs, Connecticut, United States
Dallán Forgail (530-598) was born in Ballyconnell, Ireland. He was an early Christian Irish poet, best known as the writer of the “Eulogy of Saint Columbia”. He also wrote a poem that became the basis for the modern English hymn “Be Thou My Vision”. His given name was Eochaid Forchella, and was the son of Colla, a descendant of the legendary High King Colla Uasis. His nickname Dallan meaning “little blind one” was earned because he lost his sight as a result of studying intensively.
He is said to have died in 598 when pirates broke into the island Monastery of InnesKeel, in Donnegal where he is buried. He was reportedly beheaded and legend says that God reattached his head to his body after he was martyred. He was not only a poet, but also a scholar of Latin Scriptural learning. Dallan helped to reform the Bardic Order (one of the ancient Celtic order of minstrel poets) at the convention of Drumceat. He is best known for Eulogies attributed to him on the subject of contemporaneous Irish saints.
Bandung, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
the song is so good, it really bless me, and the song make me realy calm
Hayward, CA, United States
We sing this one very often and yes this message of a prayer directly to God is so wonderful.
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
Hymns have always spoken richly to me. So I appreciate the Presbyterian publication including hymns in their Lenten devotions. It is very helpful to me.
I confess to being a ‘Hymn Nut’!
But it’s better Wingnut!
Onward
Francis
Chengannur, Kerala, India
Thank you so much for these lyrics.
Echague, Isabela, Philippines
One of my favorite hymn along with Holy, Holy, Holy
Sligo, Ireland
Who is playing this?
Cape Coast, Central Region, Ghana
Higten your spirit and makes CHRIST Supreme.
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
This is a most beautiful prayer, and I too use it with my daily devotional. When I cannot find the words to speak with God, this IS my prayer. And it stays within me all day.