Be Thou My Vision

Sheet Music

• SAATTBB arrangement by Mark Hamilton Dewey, using the tune Slane:
  • Poetic Meter: 5 5 6 4 5 5 6 5 (this differs from the normal arrangement)
  • PDF
  • MIDI (choir)
  • MIDI (piano)
  • LilyPond
  • Arrangement Copyright: It may be used as if it were Public Domain.
  • Contributer: Veramet

Tunes and Composers

• Tune: Slane (Irish Folk Melody)
  • Poetic Meter: 5 5 6 4 5 5 5 5
  • Copyright: Public Domain

Lyrics

Lyrics from The Cyber Hymnal

• Poet: attributed to Dallan Forgaill (8th Century)
• Copyright: Public Domain
• Poetic Meter: 5 5 6 4 5 5 5 5

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Lyrics from Oremus Hymnal

1. Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
be all else but naught to me, save that thou art;
be thou my best thought in the day and the night,
both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light.

2. Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word,
be thou ever with me, and I with thee Lord;
be thou my great Father, and I thy true son;
be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

3. Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight;
be thou my whole armor, be thou my true might;
be thou my soul's shelter, be thou my strong tower:
O raise thou me heavenward, great Power of my power.

4. Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise:
be thou mine inheritance now and always;
be thou and thou only the first in my heart;
O Sovereign of heaven, my treasure thou art.

5. High King of heaven, thou heaven's bright sun,
O grant me its joys after victory is won;
great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all.

Lyrics from Mark Hamilton Dewey's Arrangement

• Copyright: Public Domain

1. Be Thou my Vision,
O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me,
Save that Thou art!
Thou art my best Thought,
By day or by night,
In waking or sleeping,
Thy presence my light.

2. Wilt Thou be my Captain
Over life's stormy sea,
Stay by me always,
And guide me to Thee;
Wilt Thou, my loving Father,
Take heed of my need,
And may I be numbered,
To dwell with Thy seed?

3. Be Thou my great Shield,
My Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity,
Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul's Shelter,
And Thou my high Tow'r:
Wilt Thou raise me heavenward,
O Pow'r of my pow'r?

4. Riches I heed not,
Or man's empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance,
Now and always:
Thou and Thou only,
Still first in my heart,
The High King of Heaven,
My Treasure Thou art.

5. High King of Heaven,
My victory won,
May I reach Heaven's joys,
O bright Heav'n's Sun!
Heart of my own heart,
Whatever befall,
Still be Thou my Vision,
O Ruler of all!

Original Irish Lyrics (from http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/G400018/text001.html)

• Copyright: Public Domain
• Poetic Meter: ?

Rop tú mo baile

1. Rop tú mo baile,
a Choimdiu cride:
ní ní nech aile
acht Rí secht nime.

2. Rop tú mo scrútain
i l-ló 's i n-aidche;
rop tú ad-chëar
im chotlud caidche.

3. Rop tú mo labra,
rop tú mo thuicsiu;
rop tussu dam-sa,
rob misse duit-siu.

4. Rop tussu m'athair,
rob mé do mac-su;
rop tussu lem-sa,
rob misse lat-su.

5. Rop tú mo chathscíath,
rop tú mo chlaideb;
rop tussu m'ordan,
rop tussu m'airer.

6. Rop tú mo dítiu,
rop tú mo daingen;
rop tú nom-thocba
i n-áentaid n-aingel.

7. Rop tú cech maithius
dom churp, dom anmain;
rop tú mo flaithius
i n-nim 's i talmain.

8. Rop tussu t' áenur
sainserc mo chride;
ní rop nech aile
acht Airdrí nime.

9. Co talla forum,
ré n-dul it láma,
mo chuit, mo chotlud,
ar méit do gráda.

10. Rop tussu t' áenur
m' urrann úais amra:
ní chuinngim daíne
ná maíne marba.

11. Rop amlaid dínsiur
cech sel, cech sáegul,
mar marb oc brénad,
ar t' fégad t' áenur.

12. Do serc im anmain,
do grád im chride,
tabair dam amlaid,
a Rí secht nime.

13. Tabair dam amlaid,
a Rí secht nime,
do serc im anmain,
do grád im chride.

14. Go Ríg na n-uile
rís íar m-búaid léire;
ro béo i flaith nime
i n-gile gréine

15. A Athair inmain,
cluinte mo núall-sa:
mithig (mo-núarán!)
lasin trúagán trúag-sa.

16. A Chríst mo chride,
cip ed dom-aire,
a Flaith na n-uile,
rop tú mo baile.

Resources

• Original Irish Lyrics
• Lyrics from Oremus Hymnal
• Lyrics from The Cyber Hymnal

External MP3s

• Piano version by Rosenberger, at OurMedia.org