Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou My Vision is a beautiful traditional Christian hymn that many older christians would be very familiar with.

It is one of my very favorite Christian hymns and I just love singing it in my morning worship to God. I first learned this hymn in the very first church I attended and came to know and accept the Lord as my Lord and Savior - an Assembly of God church. Later when I was studying in the Bible college, we sung it often in chapel.

To print, just highlight the words of this christian hymn and copy and paste into your word editor.

Be Thou My Vision

~ Irish Hymn, c. 8th century
~ Translated by Mary E. Bryne, 1880-1931
~ Versified by Eleanor H. Hull, 1860-1935

Stanza 1:

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.

Stanza 2:

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.

Stanza 3:

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.

Stanza 4:

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.

Stanza 5:

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.

More About This Christian Hymn

This Christian hymn was sung by some popular modern day singers - examples are Van Morrison in his album Hymns to the Silence, Ginny Owen and the Christian band Jars of Clay.

This traditional hymn is also the school anthem of Delbarton School, a Benedictine school in Northern New Jersey, and also of St Mary's Diocesan School, an Anglican girls school in New Zealand.

It has been translated into various languages:

Dutch - Wees Mijn Verlangen

Spanish - Oh Dios, Sé Mi Visión

Norwegian - Deg å Få Skode

Swedish - Gå Inte Förbi

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Praise the LORD.
How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise Him!

~ Psalm 147:1


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