Be Thou My Vision

Recently the following was posted on Facebook.  “On St. Patrick’s Day, everybody is Irish … except the Scots, they’re always Scottish.”  But other than for the Scots (!), St. Patrick’s Day is widely celebrated, even though few have taken note of the marvelous heritage of the impact of the gospel on that island, dating from the time of one of the earliest missionaries in church history, Saint Patrick, who some believe was God’s chosen instrument in the conversion of 100,000 people and who He used to plant 2,000 churches!

We occasionally hear from people in our churches, “Let’s sing some of the ‘good old hymns.’”  By that they are actually referring to hymns that are relatively new, gospel songs of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.  But if we want to sing a hymn that really is one of the “good old ones,” we need to go much further back.  The hymn “Be Thou My Vision” is one of those, with words and music that most believe date from the eighth century, the time of Saint Patrick.  That’s eight centuries before the Reformation!

Not much is known about the details of Patrick’s life other than a few basic facts.  The Latin name he used for himself was Patricius.  Most believe he was born in the fourth or fifth century in Roman Britain. While Saint Patrick’s Day is observed on March 17, the supposed date of his death, there is no historical evidence for that.   What little we do know tells us that he was captured by Irish pirates at the age of sixteen and taken as a slave to Ireland, where he was beaten repeatedly and assigned as a shepherd to look after domestic animals. 

After six years he heard a voice telling him to return home and so escaped, traveling 200 miles to the coast, and finding a ship to enable him to return across the sea to his family.  He wrote that after three days’ sailing, they landed, presumably in Britain, and apparently all left the ship, walking for 28 days in a “wilderness” and becoming faint from hunger. After Patrick prayed for sustenance, they encountered a herd of wild boar. Since this was shortly after Patrick had urged them to put their faith in God, his prestige in the group was greatly increased. After various adventures, he returned home to his family, now in his early twenties. After returning home to Britain, Patrick continued to study Christianity.

Though his father Calpurnius was a deacon, and his grandfather Potitus was a priest, in his youth Patrick was not an active believer.  From his own writings, we know that during the time of his captivity, he struggled to believe in the Christian God of his upbringing, questioning the goodness of a God who would allow him to be so terribly mistreated.  But his faith grew strong through those hard years.  After returning home he began to sense that God was calling him to return to the pagan culture he had left in Ireland to bring the good news of the gospel.  Ireland at the time was under the domination of the idolatrous Druid priests of Celtic worship.  He later wrote,

I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: ‘The Voice of the Irish’. As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: “We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.”

That account reminds us of the vision given to Paul where a man of Macedonia said, “Come over and help us,” leading Paul to cross over to Europe, starting at Philippi.

Patrick was discipled before being ordained, including instruction from clerics in France, and then much to the disappointment of his family, returned to Ireland.  He was not well-received and faced significant, though not violent, hostility to the Christian message he brought with him.  But he persisted and led more and more to saving faith in Christ, planting churches and training local priests.  He wrote of having baptized thousands of people.  In later life, he was honored as bishop, and by the seventh century had already come to be revered as the patron saint of Ireland.

Among the legends about Saint Patrick is that he is credited with teaching the Irish about the doctrine of the Holy Trinity by showing people the shamrock, a three-leafed plant, using it to illustrate the Christian teaching of three persons in one God. This story first appears in writing in 1726, though it may be older. The shamrock has since become a central symbol for Saint Patrick’s Day.

As for the legend that Patrick banished all snakes from Ireland, it was noted as early as the third century that there were no snakes on the island.  The first record of this being attributed to Patrick dates from the thirteenth century.

While Patrick did not write any hymns, “Be Thou My Vision” has come to be so closely associated with Ireland, that it is hard to sing it without thinking of this pioneer missionary.  The Old Irish hymn (Rop tú mo baile or Rob tú mo bhoile) is a traditional  hymn of Irish origin. The words are based on a Middle Irish poem that has been attributed to a monk, Saint Dallán Forgaill (530-598), who was martyred by pirates. But it is probably later than that, perhaps as early as the eighth century. The best-known English version, with some minor variations, was a translation in 1905 by Mary Elizabeth Byrne, and then made into verse by Eleanor Hull, president of the Irish Literary Society of London, and published in 1912. Since 1919 it has been commonly sung to the Irish folk tune SLANE in church hymnals and is one of the most popular hymns in the United Kingdom.

The text of “Be Thou My Vision” reflects aspects of life in early Christian Ireland (c. 400-800 A.D.). The prayer belongs to a type known as a “lorica,” a prayer for divine protection. The symbolic use of a battle-shield and a sword to invoke the power and protection of God draws on the words of Ephesians 6, where Paul described the Christian’s armor, including  “the shield of faith” and “the sword of the Spirit”. Such military symbolism was common in the poetry and hymnology of Christian monasteries of the period, due to the prevalence of clan warfare across Ireland. In its original text, the poem makes reference to God as “King of the Seven Heavens” and the “High King of Heaven.” This depiction of the Christian God as a chieftain or High King (Irish: Ard Rí) is a traditional representation in Irish literature.  Medieval Irish poetry typically used heroic imagery to cast God as a clan protector. Old Irish is the ancestor language of Modern Scottish Gaelic.

As for the tune name SLANE, legend has it that it was on Slane Hill in County Meath around 433 A.D. that Saint Patrick lit candles on Easter Eve, defying a decree by High King Logaire of Tara that no one could light a fire before the king signaled the beginning of the pagan spring festival by lighting a fire on Tara Hill. King Logaire was so impressed by Patrick’s devotion that, despite his defiance, he was permitted to continue his work as Ireland’s first Christian missionary.  It was apparently to commemorate that event that, though he became blind from his years of writing poetry, Saint Dallán Forgaill wrote this hymn.

Several things should happen before we start to sing a hymn.  We should look at the scriptural basis for it, often printed at the top of the page.  We should look to see who wrote the words, and when, as well as who wrote the music, and when.  This information is at the bottom of the page in the hymnal.  We should note the theme of the hymn, indicated by the topical section in which it is found.  This is printed at the top of the page in the hymnal.  And we should glance over the words to determine, among other things, to whom it is addressed.  Is it a statement to other believers?  Is it an invitation to unbelievers?  Is it a reminder to the singer of what he/she believes?  Or, as in the case of “Be Thou My Vision,” is it addressed to the Lord, perhaps as prayer or praise, a confession or a request? 

In stanza 1, we ask the Lord to so fill our minds as our “vision” that we can see or think of nothing apart from its relationship to Him.  We long for His presence “by day or by night, waking or sleeping.”  How wonderful when this is becomes a reality for us each day, and especially when we gather for worship.

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.

In stanza 2, we ask the Lord to not only grant us wisdom, but to actually be our wisdom.  This brings to mind the early chapters of Proverbs where the Lord is personified as Wisdom calling out in the streets for people to give heed to His voice.  The stanza is couched in terms of our union with Christ, the Son, and with the Father, us dwelling in the Lord, and Him dwelling in us.

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.

In stanza 3, we ask the Lord to stand by us in the spiritual warfare of Ephesians 6.  This stanza contains the warrior imagery that connects it with the ancient centuries in which the hymn was composed.  Notice how many words point to that: “battle shield,” “sword,” “shelter,” “tower”.  And then comes our victorious cry that He would lift us heavenward by His sovereign power.  How sad that so many hymnals omit this marvelous stanza.

Be Thou my battle shield, sword for my fight;
be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight,
Thou my soul’s shelter, Thou my high tow’r;
raise Thou me heav’n-ward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.

In stanza 4, we assure the Lord that we treasure Him above all else, above earthly riches and above “man’s empty praise.”  It’s not just that God promises to give us an inheritance.  He IS our inheritance, an inheritance we already possess, and to which we need to focus our attention!  Calling Him the “High King of Heaven” reminds us that He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.

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.

In stanza 5, we once again name Him as the “High King of Heaven,” this time not just in His glory and in the lofty place He holds in our hearts.  Now it’s in the context of the great victory He has won for us and for His own glory.  Our longing is to be with Him as He enables us to “reach heaven’s joys” and dwell eternally in the presence of “bright heaven’s Sun.” We conclude as we began, embracing the Lord as the central vision for which we live, the “Ruler of all” whom we delight to serve, and to do so “whatever befall.”

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.

Here is a recording of the hymn, complete with beautiful scenery to make you think of Patrick’s Ireland.  (Sadly, the wonderful words of stanza 3 are not included.)

Original Translations

English translation by Mary Byrne (1905)

Be thou my vision O Lord of my heart
None other is aught but the King of the seven heavens.

Be thou my meditation by day and night.
May it be thou that I behold ever in my sleep.

Be thou my speech, be thou my understanding.
Be thou with me, be I with thee

Be thou my father, be I thy son.
Mayst thou be mine, may I be thine.

Be thou my battle-shield, be thou my sword.
Be thou my dignity, be thou my delight.

Be thou my shelter, be thou my stronghold.
Mayst thou raise me up to the company of the angels.

Be thou every good to my body and soul.
Be thou my kingdom in heaven and on earth.

Be thou solely chief love of my heart.
Let there be none other, O high King of Heaven.

Till I am able to pass into thy hands,
My treasure, my beloved through the greatness of thy love

Be thou alone my noble and wondrous estate.
I seek not men nor lifeless wealth.

Be thou the constant guardian of every possession and every life.
For our corrupt desires are dead at the mere sight of thee.

Thy love in my soul and in my heart —
Grant this to me, O King of the seven heavens.

O King of the seven heavens grant me this —
Thy love to be in my heart and in my soul.

With the King of all, with him after victory won by piety,
May I be in the kingdom of heaven, O brightness of the sun.

Beloved Father, hear, hear my lamentations.
Timely is the cry of woe of this miserable wretch.

O heart of my heart, whatever befall me,
O ruler of all, be thou my vision.

Original Old Irish Text

Rop tú mo baile, a Choimdiu cride:
ní ní nech aile acht Rí secht nime.

Rop tú mo scrútain i l-ló ‘s i n-aidche;
rop tú ad-chëar im chotlud caidche.

Rop tú mo labra, rop tú mo thuicsiu;
rop tussu dam-sa, rob misse duit-siu.

Rop tussu m’athair, rob mé do mac-su;
rop tussu lem-sa, rob misse lat-su.

Rop tú mo chathscíath, rop tú mo chlaideb;
rop tussu m’ordan, rop tussu m’airer.

Rop tú mo dítiu, rop tú mo daingen;
rop tú nom-thocba i n-áentaid n-aingel.

Rop tú cech maithius dom churp, dom anmain;
rop tú mo flaithius i n-nim ‘s i talmain.

Rop tussu t’ áenur sainserc mo chride;
ní rop nech aile acht Airdrí nime.

Co talla forum, ré n-dul it láma,
mo chuit, mo chotlud, ar méit do gráda.

Rop tussu t’ áenur m’ urrann úais amra:
ní chuinngim daíne ná maíne marba.

Rop amlaid dínsiur cech sel, cech sáegul,
mar marb oc brénad, ar t’ fégad t’ áenur.

Do serc im anmain, do grád im chride,
tabair dam amlaid, a Rí secht nime.

Tabair dam amlaid, a Rí secht nime,
do serc im anmain, do grád im chride.

Go Ríg na n-uile rís íar m-búaid léire;
ro béo i flaith nime i n-gile gréine

A Athair inmain, cluinte mo núall-sa:
mithig (mo-núarán!) lasin trúagán trúag-sa.

A Chríst[note 1] mo chride, cip ed dom-aire,
a Flaith na n-uile, rop tú mo baile.

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.