Sunday's Hymn: Reader's Choice

 
Last week I invited readers to give me a favorite hymn to feature here in the upcoming Sunday’s hymn posts, and today I’m posting the first of the reader’s choice hymns. (If you’d like to see your favorite hymn featured, go here and leave a comment, giving your favorite hymn and a little bit about why you like it.)

This first hymn is a favorite of Kim of The Upward Call and AnnieCOA.

Be Thou My Vision

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 Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

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 Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

This is an ancient Irish hymn, variously attributed, usually to Dal­lan For­gaill or St. Patrick himself. We really don’t know who wrote it, but we do know that it was translated and versified by two Irish women, Mary Byrne and Eleanor Hull, in the early 1900s. You can see the original Irish lyrics here.

The tune is an Irish folk melody called Slane. You can listen in your choice of instrumental or voice.

Other hymns, worship songs, etc. posted today:

• Earth, Rejoice, our Lord is King at New Lumps
• Conflicting Feelings, a hymn by John Newton at Hiraeth
  
• Stand Up for Jesus at The Happy Wonderer
  
• How Deep the Father’s Love for Us at Above the Clouds
• Hymn 10, L. M., at The Thirsty Theologian.
  
• Come Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove at John Dekker’s Journal
• Fairest Lord Jesus at Seasonings of the Heart
• Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee at joythruChrist
• May the Mind of Christ My Saviour at The Upward Call
  
• The Collect for Whit Sunday (or Pentecost Sunday) at Magic Statistics

Have you posted a hymn this Sunday and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by emailing me at the address in the sidebar and I’ll add your post to the list.

Comments

[TulipGirl]

This isn't what I would automatically think of as a hymn for a wedding, but it was sung by the congregation during a wedding we attended in March, and was just right.

[Elle]

This is my favorite hymn as well. Thank you for the background information on its history.

[Islandsparrow]

One of my favourites as well - I love to hear Robin Mark from Belfast Ireland sing it - he's coming to our church in 3 weeks for our annual "Revival in Belfast" conference.