Be Thou My Vision

I've started reading one of the books I hope to finish this year: Then Sings My Soul by Robert Morgan. It is a book of 150 stories related to or supporting a traditional hymn. One of my favorite hymns was originally written by an unknown Irish poet. Mary Elizabeth Bryne translated the poem into English in 1905. And according to Robert Morgan, Eleanor Hull of Manchester, England restructured the poem into verses. Soon afterward the verses were set to "Slane" - a traditional Irish folk song.

When one tries to peer into the future one finds that the past and present are filled with bombing & guns over Palestine and Israel, a war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, earthquakes and flooding, avalanches, bitter cold and deep snow fall in the United States, and economic troubles throughout the world. Many countries are battling drought, starvation, political unrest. In spite of these turbulent waters we, as believers in Christ, have an anchor, a rock, a stronghold to calm the sea. The boat may be rocking. The waves may be crashing. But when your stomach is troubled and nausea sets in...you need not worry. A veteran sailor always looks to a stable landmark when the waters are rough. So too do we.

No matter what the future brings may this hymn be my prayer. I pray too that your soul will be comforted and quieted. May you and I both keep our vision on the Lord in this world of change and chaos.

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, and I Thy true son,
Thou in my 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, 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.