School Song

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Be Thou My Vision

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, and Thou my high Tower;
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my Power.

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 heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

The Song's History and Why We Chose It

The words to this hymn come from the Irish monastic tradition. Some scholars argue that they may date from 700 AD. It is an example of a "lorica" or breastplate - almost a sort of incantation to be recited for protection arming oneself for spiritual or physical battle. Another well-known lorica is "St. Patrick's Breastplate" "I bind upon myself this day."

The modern prose translation by Mary E. Byrne was published in 1905. It was versified by Eleanor Hull and included in her Poem Book of the Gael. (1912)

Echoes of the following scripture may be found in the text: Colossians 1:15-23; Colossians 2:2-3; Proverbs 9:1-6; Revelation 5:12. There is also a possible illusion to the antiphon in the monastic service of Compline: "Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping . . . "

The text is set to the hymn tune "Slane." This tune is of Irish folk origin and was first published in 1909 in Patrick Joyce's Old Irish Folk Music and Songs. It is named for a hill about ten miles from Tara hill in County Meath. It is on Slane hill, according to an account in the "Confessions of St. Patrick" that the Irish saint defied the command of the pagan king Loigaire by lighting the Pascal candle on Easter Eve. St. Patrick's act was done in defiance of the king's edict that no fire could be ignited before the royal fire was lit by the king's hand on Tara hill. The royal fire was kindled to celebrate the pagan Spring festival and symbolized the return of light and change of season following the darkness of winter.

The hymn reinforces the ultimate goal at Cherokee Christian Schools — that each student's vision for the future if founded upon Jesus Christ. The lyrics support our "Warrior" theme and serve to remind us of our source of true wisdom ("Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word") and our optimism for the future ("High King of heaven, my victory won"). It is our prayer that the last verse becomes our graduates prayer as they begin life's journey — "Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all."

Click on These Links for other Renditions

Piano by Joel Rosenberger www.freshpiano.com

Keyboard by Robin Lee

Various instruments by Rich McCoy