Be Thou My Vision | Hymn25

1912 | Eleanor Hull

John 8:12

“Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Being with Jesus is so much more than getting what we want from him. Don’t get me wrong … salvation, provision, healing and rest are all blessings I long for and petition from our benevolent God. Yet, the greatest prize is God himself. AS the cheesy sting goes: the greatest present is His presence!

To follow after the light of the world, to be in His presence, is to walk in the light of real, abundant life. In the text of the great Irish hymn Be Thou My Vision we contemplate the great prize of God himself. As I read through the verses today, I jotted down all the joyful ways the author receives God’s presence (listed below) Take a moment to listen to the hymn and mediate on the awesome gift that God is with those He indwells. May you commune with God today and enjoy Him forever!

Lord of my heart
my vision
my best thought
my light
my wisdom
my true Word
my great Father
my breastplate
my sword
my dignity
my delight
my soul’s shelter
my high tower
Power of my power
my inheritance
first in my heart
my treasure
High King of Heaven
my victory
Heart of my own heart
my vision
Ruler of all

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 and 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 dear child;
Thou in me dwelling, with thee reconciled.

Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight;
Be thou my dignity, thou my delight.
Thou my soul’s shelter, thou my high tow’r;
Raise thou me Heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.

Riches I heed not, nor vain, 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 Heaven’s joys, O bright Heav’ns Sun!
Heart of my heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

Jon Lilley | Worship Arts Pastor