Sep 2020
BE THOU MY VISION
"Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art."
On a bitter winter morning we stand and sing
an old Irish hymn.
I in my wellies giving it
as much welly as a little boy can.
I hold my father's hand.
He squeezes mine.
But it is not to Him I sing
but to my own Da.
My father is my heaven
here on the earth I have
known for
all my seven years.
I close my eyes and sing
with everything I got.
"Thou my great Father, I Thy true son!"
I understand the words
from the inside out.
"Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
my Treasure Thou art."
The winter of '63
lost in the blizzard of time.
Now I hold my father's hand
as he lies dying.
He squeezes mine.
I sing to him in my mind.
"Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light."
He lets go
of my hand.
His little boy still sings for him.
"Heart of my own heart, whatever befall."
"Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art."
On a bitter winter morning we stand and sing
an old Irish hymn.
I in my wellies giving it
as much welly as a little boy can.
I hold my father's hand.
He squeezes mine.
But it is not to Him I sing
but to my own Da.
My father is my heaven
here on the earth I have
known for
all my seven years.
I close my eyes and sing
with everything I got.
"Thou my great Father, I Thy true son!"
I understand the words
from the inside out.
"Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
my Treasure Thou art."
The winter of '63
lost in the blizzard of time.
Now I hold my father's hand
as he lies dying.
He squeezes mine.
I sing to him in my mind.
"Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light."
He lets go
of my hand.
His little boy still sings for him.
"Heart of my own heart, whatever befall."
"Be Thou My Vision" (Old Irish: Rop tú mo baile or Rob tú mo bhoile) is a traditional Christian hymn of Irish origin. The words are based on a Middle Irish poem often attributed to the sixth-century Irish Christian poet St. Dallán Forgaill, although it is probably later than that. The best-known English version, with some minor variations, was translated by Eleanor Hull and published in 1912. Since 1919 it has been commonly sung to an Irish folk tune, noted as “Slane” in church hymnals and is one of the most popular hymns in the United Kingdom
English version by Eleanor Hull (1912)
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 Tow’r:
Raise Thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven's joys, O bright Heav’n's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
English version by Eleanor Hull (1912)
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 Tow’r:
Raise Thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven's joys, O bright Heav’n's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
(Guildford)
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