Be Thou My Vision

In studying Be Thou My Vision I came across an article that shared a verse of the hymn that is often excluded.  The article pointed out that the second, third, and fourth verses of the hymn match with the wisdom, might, and riches mentioned in Jeremiah 9:23-24.  I thought that this was a plausible theory about the source of Be Thou My Vision.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.

Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

Be Thou My Vision

Old Irish hymn translated by Eleanor Hull in 1912

Verse 1:
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart

Psalm 26:3 For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth.

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.

Philippians 3:8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,

Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,

Psalm 139:17-18  How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Psalm 3:5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.

John 12:46 I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. 

Verse 2:
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;

John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;

John 8:42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

2 Corinthians 6:16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be MY people.

Jesus said about the disciples in John 17:21-23 "that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me." 

Verse 3:
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;

2 Samuel 22:3 My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior, You save me from violence.

Ephesians 6:13-17 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 

Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;

Matthew 10:29-31 Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart.

Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tow’r:

Psalm 61:4 Let me dwell in Your tent forever; Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah.

Psalm 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.

Raise Thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Verse 4:
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,

Proverbs 11:28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.

Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:

Psalm 16:5  The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot.

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,

Psalm 73:25-26 Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

Psalm 47:2 For the Lord Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth.

Verse 5:
High King of Heaven, my victory won,

1 Corinthians 15:56-57 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!

2 Peter 3:13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

The Lord said in Malachi 4:2 “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall."

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said in Daniel 3:18 "But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Psalm 16:8 I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Psalm 47:7 For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with a skillful psalm.