Be Thou My Vision
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Be Thou My Vision is a traditional Christian hymn, which can be traced to Ireland but is now sung in English-speaking churches around the world.
The text (Rob tu mo bhoile, a Comdi cride) is often attributed to Dallan Forgaill in the 8th century; in any case, this text had been a part of Irish monastic tradion for centuries before the hymn itself was written. It is an example of a lorica, an incantation recited for protection. It was translated from ancient Irish into English by Mary E. Byrne in 1905. The English text was first versified by Eleanor H. Hull in 1912, and this version of the lyrics is the most common. However, slight variations of these lyrics are sometimes seen. The first verse of Hull's version follows:
- 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.
The music is the Irish folk song, Slane, which is about Slane Hill where St. Patrick defied the pagan High King Logaire of Tara by lighting candles on Easter Eve. Besides this general connection to Christianity, the folk song has little prior connection to the text. Thus, the hymn itself is fairly recent and the Middle English vocabulary and structure is somewhat an anachronism. This can be a source of confusion, implying the hymn is older than the 20th century.
Be Thou My Vision has become the quintessential Irish hymn in English-speaking churches and is often sung around St. Patrick's Day. Despite its traditional nature and the seemingly archaic quality of the text, Be Thou My Vision has become a popular song performed by Contemporary Christian musicians, such as Rebecca St. James.