Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou My Vision History Home page

Be Thou My Vision Lyrics The hymn words

Be Thou My Vision Chords With traditional words, in D major

Click here now to download a FREE mp3 of "Be Thou My Vision"!

It's a great contemporary version by inspirational Christian musician Andy Rogers, and well worth a listen!

Be Thou My Vision Chords With more modern words, again in D major

Be Thou My Vision in E With modern words,
this time in E Major

Be Thou My Vision Celtic Version The original Irish words to this classic hymn

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Nicene Creed Statement of Faith

Welcome to Be Thou My Vision!

.. a site dedicated to one of the most famous and influential hymns in Christian history. Here you'll find the lyrics to the music, as well as the chords to the song in D major and E major , and the original old irish words.

The history behind the hymn

'High King of Heaven when the battle is done,
Grant Heaven`s joy to me , bright heaven`s sun!
Christ of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all.....'

...truely some of the most inspiring words to be found in Christian literature. But how did "Be Thou My Vision" come to be written and who is the song attributed to? As with any song, there are two elements - the words and the music.

St Patrick

The music behind 'Be Thou My Vision'

The tune to this ancient hymn is entitled "Slane", from an 8th Century Irish melody. The melody is named after Slane Hill - and to an event recorded in the lands history thought to be around AD 433. Tradition goes that the ruling King of the time (High King Logaire of Tara) had decreed that no one was allowed to kindle a fire until Logaire had lit his to announce the start of the pagan spring festival. However, St Patrick defied the royal order and lit candles on the Eve of the festival on Tara Hill (approximately ten miles from Slane Hill in County Meath). The King was so impressed by Patrick's defiance that it he pardoned him and allowed him to continue his missionary work in Ireland. Patrick would go on to convert 100,000 people and establish 2,000 churches. No small feat for a man originally kidnapped by pirates and taken as a slave to Ireland!

The Words to 'Be Thou My Vision'

The original words to the hymn date back as far as 6th Century Ireland, and to the prolific Irish writer Dallan Forgaill (c.530-598), with the original title 'Rop tú mo Baile' . It is said that such was his zealousness for writing poetry and studying that it led to his blindness. In his day, Forgaill reformed the Baldic Order, helping to preserve the Gaelic traditional literature and language.

The original words of 'Be Thou My Vision' recorded in Old Irish were used widely in the Monastic tradition before being set to music.

The next major development in the hymn came at the turn of the twentieth century, when Mary E. Byrne translated the Irish words into English, recorded in 1905 in the journal of the School of Irish Learning. Another scholar in 1912, Eleanor H. Hull (founder of the Irish Text Society), versified the words. This was to become the modern form of the hymn.

Dallan Forgaill

In recent times, 'Be Thou My Vision' has had something of a revival in what is termed "house church" or "new churches". Perhaps the Celtic traditions of wild abandonment to God and the inspiration found within the words of the hymn resonant with this more informal stream of Christian practice.

prayerscapes features films, soundtracks and be thou my vision , a new version of this classic song coming soon to this site.