You’re no George Herbert - 4 December 2010 |
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A friend has has been kind enough to point out two glitches in my attempted re-versification of “Be thou my vision”.
That’ll teach me to dabble in poetry. As Lloyd Bentsen might have said, “Pastor, you’re no George Herbert.”
Here is another version (the earlier post has also been changed), with two further tweaks to smooth the bumpy road of an old favourite hymn:
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art.
Thou my best thought, in the day or the 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, and 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, the first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heav’n’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.
© Estate of the late Eleanor Hull
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Posted by Steve Jeffery · Topics: Minister's Blog