I have set the LORD always before me. - Psalm 16:8
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 Tow’r:
Raise Thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.
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 Heaven's joys, O bright Heav’n's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Here’s the main idea of this wonderful hymn: We need God.
We need God more than we know. He is greater than our greatest earthly goods; He is wiser than the wisest of earthly wisdom; He is stronger than the strongest of earthly powers; He is richer than all the world’s wealth; and He is able to keep our hearts no matter what this life brings.
This is the ongoing prayer of the true Church. It is the cry of life in God.
And so, we say together: We have set the LORD always before us. O Lord, Be Thou our vision!
Here's the hymn performed by a favorite band of mine...
Irish in origin the hymn 'Be Thou My Vision' is based on the poem 'Rop tú mo Baile', believed to have been written by the sixth-century poet St. Dallán Forgaill. It has been translated into modern Irish many times, but It was first translated into English in 1905 by Mary Byrne.