Be Thou My Vision
History
This is one of the most popular and influential hymns throughout the history of English-speaking Christianity for the last hundred years. Though popular today, the hymn has deep traditional roots in Irish Celtic history. The story is steeped in tradition, and spans hundreds of years and the work of many faithful hands.
The hymn is based on a poem traditionally attributed to Saint Dallan, an early Irish Christian poet and saint. Dallan is Old Irish for “blind little one”, a nickname he earned after losing his sight later in life. Many early Irish poetic works are attributed to him, including the poem that this hymn is based upon, Rob tú mo baile. In the year 640, he was visiting a friend in an island monastery which was raided by pirates, and he and his friend both lost their lives in the raid.
Centuries later, in 1905, Mary Elizabeth Byrne translated the poem into English, publishing two variations of her translation. And seven years later, in 1912, Eleanor Hull reworked the words into a modern verse more suited for corporate singing. The traditional Irish tune known as “Slane” was attached to the hymn in 1919, and this tune has remained the most well-known pairing for this hymn.
According to legend, Saint Dallan composed his prayerful poem as a tribute to the work of Saint Patrick, who came two hundred years prior. Saint Patrick worked throughout Ireland to bring the gospel to what was considered a pagan land at the time.
There came a day when the High King of Ireland declared that no religious affectation would be allowed until after a certain pagan festival. In an act of bold defiance, Saint Patrick lit a fire on a hill in honor of the Lord in view of all. Rather than punish the saint for his rebelliousness, the High King allowed him to continue to preach and evangelize in the country.
What was the hill named on which Saint Patrick lit his fire of defiance? Slane Hill, the very namesake of the tune later paired with “Be Thou My Vision”. Whether Saint Patrick’s adventure with the fire upon the hill ever actually happened will likely never be determined, as many of his acts have been highly mythologized over the years.
Regardless, this hymn has become a favorite for many over the years, as the words elicit a boldness perhaps akin to the example set by the stories of Saint Patrick bringing the gospel to a hostile country.
Devotion
The history of this hymn is full of faithful people who had their eyes set firmly on Christ and Him alone. The only way to account for some of the incredible acts of faith and devotion in these stories is that the hearts and minds of those people were wholly devoted to God.
Have you ever thought about how amazing it is that God has revealed Himself to us at all? He is matchless in power, authority, and might, and yet He chooses to be present and here with us. At the same time, we are here on this earth, surrounded by so many distractions and temptations begging for our attention. We face a dilemma every day: set our sights above on God, or continue seeking after the frivolities of life.
May our daily prayer be to set our sights on God rather than the world, and let that breed an unmatched faithfulness in our hearts. In earlier times, God spoke to His people through prophets and priests, revealing Himself through signs and wonders (Hebrews 1:1). For thousands of years, God showed Himself in that way, always pointing toward the cross and what Christ would do for our sin.
And then Christ did come as the physical manifestation of God. All that He did pointed to the power of the Father and the love He has for His people. His ministry on earth culminated in death on the cross, where He bore our sin—He bore the punishment that we deserved so that we could stand justified before the Father.
But Christ promised something even greater than He: the Holy Spirit. Now, for those of us who are in Christ, we have the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, constantly pushing us toward God. It’s the Holy Spirit who reveals God to us, directly into our hearts, every day. When you reflect on the words of this hymn, imagine what it would be like to truly set God over your entire vision. How might your daily life change?
What if you saw every moment the way that God sees them? How much different would your time look if you opened your heart to every opportunity for grace?
What if you could see every single person exactly how God sees them? Would that change your interactions with people?
If God was at the center of your vision every day, would it change how you spend your money? Would it change how you conduct yourself on the internet? How much would the world change if every Christ follower truly had Christ filling their vision? I contend that life would be almost unrecognizable.
So what’s stopping you?
Related Scripture
Psalm 16:1-11; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 John 2:15-17
Be Thou My Vision lyrics
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, Thou with me, my Lord
Thou my great Father and I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance now and always
Thou and Thou only, be first in my heart
High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.
High King of heaven, after vict’ry won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.