Eleanor Hull
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; thine own may I be,
thou in me dwelling and I one with thee.
Riches I heed not, nor vain, 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.
"Be Thou My Vision" is an 8th century Irish hymn that was translated by Eleanor Hull in 1912. Today the hymn is sung to the Irish folk tune "Slane". This song is rooted in medieval Celtic Christianity and has grown in popularity due to many Christian artists covering the hymn on recent albums. It is believed that the original poem may have been written by an Irish saint who experienced blindness later in life.