Be Thou My Vision

This has got to be one of my all-time favorite hymns ... I remember sometimes singing it in church growing up, but I'm not sure I really stopped and realized how amazing the words are until one summer I spent at a Christian camp in Colorado. We on staff were singing it for the students, and I thought, "Wow ... what a great hymn!" It almost felt like I was "discovering" it for the first time. :)

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 my 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'ns son,
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.

I was trying to find the author ... It looks like maybe there are a few different thoughts about who the author is ... but as I searched online I found this fascinating story of the setting it may have been written in, from Center for Church Music. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did ... I know my heart is touched by the lives of Christians in other countries and what they go through because of their love for Jesus. Working for a missions organization, I hear and work with these reports so often! (If you'd like to read some more true stories of believers who are gladly choosing to suffer for the sake of Jesus ... just check out this link!)

Here is the story I found when I was searching online for "Be Thou My Vision" ...

"With its heartfelt poetry and moving melody, 'Be Thou My Vision' beautifully expresses the desires of the Christian heart. Though its popularity rose only in the past fifty years or so, the hymn actually has a rich history dating back to the eighth century.

Between the years of 400 and 700 AD the Irish people lived out a passionate faith in Christ. Ireland took up the missionary endeavor with excitement, and the country became known for its all-absorbing efforts to share Christianity throughout the world. Irish missionaries were found from Scotland to Switzerland, spreading the Good News wherever they went.

Some scholars believe that the words to the hymn are the product of a man known simply as St. Patrick. Patrick was born in A.D. 373 along the banks of the River Clyde in what is now called Scotland. When he was 16 he was kidnapped by pirates and taken as a slave to Ireland. There he gave his life to Jesus Christ. He eventually escaped, but he never forgot this experience and when he was about 30 he returned to his former captors with only one possession: the Latin Bible. History tells us that St. Patrick was the man most responsible for the Good News of Christ coming to Ireland. As a result of his preaching, over 200 churches were established and 100,000 converts were baptized.

'Be Thou My Vision' undoubtedly comes from this spiritually rich period. Its prominent theme encourages single-hearted focus and devotion to Christ. In the hymn lyrics, the poet expresses his adoration of God through the many titles he gives him: Vision, Wisdom, Word, Great Father, Power, Inheritance, High King of heaven, Treasure, bright heaven's Sun, Ruler of all.

Today, we continue to sing the words of this hymn, echoing the poet's response to God's many titles. 'Thou my best thought, Thy presence my light.'"
** Story from Center for Church Music, www.songsandhymns.org