Scripture Verse

When a prophet of the Lord is among you, I reveal Myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams. Numbers 12:6

Introduction

portrait
Donald P. Hustad (1918–2013)

Words: At­trib­ut­ed to Dal­lán For­gaill (Rob tu mo bhoile, a Com­di cride). Trans­lat­ed from an­cient Ir­ish to Eng­lish by Ma­ry E. Byrne in Er­iú, Jour­nal of the School of Ir­ish Learn­ing, 1905, and ver­si­fied by El­ea­nor H. Hull, 1912, alt.

Music: Slane (Hus­tad) Ir­ish tune. Ar­ranged by Don­ald P. Hus­tad, 1974 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Byrne or Hull (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
Dallán Forgaill

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 and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Fa­ther, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwell­ing, and I with Thee one.

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 heav’n­ward, O pow­er of my pow­er.

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 Heav’n’s joys, O bright Hea­ven’s sun!
Heart of my own heart, what­ev­er be­fall,
Still be my vi­sion, O Rul­er of all.