Be Thou My Vision (AOV 1/9)

This is a traditional Irish song whose origins are explained here to the accompaniment of a scary MIDI file.  You can hear a less terrifying version here.

You can see the intent of the first As One Voice collection to be comprehensive having old and new hymns, mass settings and even Christmas carols.

This hymn has a lot of different English translations so I’ll use the one in AOV. Making backings for these old songs is a problem, so I’ll just do the best I can.

Verse 1

Be though 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.

Verse 2

Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;

I ever with thee and thou with me Lord;

Thou and thou only, first in my heart,

Great God of heaven, my treasure thou art.

Verse 3

Great God of heaven, my victory won,

May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’ns Sun!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be my vision, O ruler of all.

Since this is a PD tune and it was requested, here is a MIDI file.