HYMN OF THEÂ MONTH:
Be Thou My Vision
Unknown; translator: Mary Byrne; versifier: Eleanor Hull
Our theme for 2025 is "We Believe" and we're exploring core biblical doctrines we can pass to the next generation using hymns as a teaching tool. This month we're looking at one particular aspect of the doctrine of man: God created us to be fully His. He is our everything.
A Poem's Journey
Long before it became a well-known hymn, “Be Thou My Vision” was a Gaelic poem inspired by the life and faith of St. Patrick.
As a young man, Patrick was taken from his home and enslaved in Ireland, where he came to know Christ. Years later, he returned to Ireland as a missionary, and in 433, he boldly lit a fire on Slane Hill to proclaim that Christ alone is King, defying a pagan ruler’s command.
The tune we now know as “Slane” was later composed to honor Patrick’s stand for faith, and it eventually became the melody for “Be Thou My Vision.”
The poem’s words were written in the 6th century and rediscovered and translated into English in the early 1900s by Mary Byrne. Eleanor Hull is credited with versifying the translation into a hymn.
So while we don’t know for sure who wrote the original poem, we do know for sure God worked in the lives of many people who helped give us this hymn that reminds us to pray for God’s help to be completely devoted to Christ. He is our vision, or wisdom, our treasure and our ultimate victory!
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Read & Relate
Be Thou My Vision
Unknown; translator: Mary Byrne; versifier: 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.
2 Cor. 10:5 Ps. 17:15; Phil. 3:7-8; Matt. 22:37
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.
1 Cor. 1:24-25; 1 Cor. 1:30; John 1:14; Eph. 1:5; 1 John 3:1
Riches I heed not,
Or 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.
Heb. 9:15; Matt. 6:33; Col. 2:3; Eph. 3:19
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.
Rom. 8:37; Rev. 17:14; Rev. 22:5; 1 Cor. 15:57; Heb. 12:2Â Â
