Be Thou My Vision Lyrics in Large Print: Free Printable PDF
The words of Be Thou My Vision are here in large print, one sheet at 18, 24 or 28 point. Mary E. Byrne translated it in 1905, and Eleanor H. Hull versified it in 1912. They were published before 1930, so they are public domain in the US and free to copy.
| Words by | Old Irish prayer; Mary E. Byrne, prose translation 1905 |
|---|---|
| English verse | Eleanor H. Hull, 1912 |
| Music | Traditional Irish melody Slane, published 1909 |
| Type size | 18, 24 or 28 pt |
| Paper | US Letter, A4 or 11 x 17 in, white or cream |
Be Thou My Vision in large print: words and download
Be Thou My Vision
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart,
Naught is 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, Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee, Thou with me, Lord.
Thou my great Father, I thy dear son;
Thou in me dwelling, 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 tower;
Raise Thou me heavenward, Power of my power.
Riches I heed not or 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.
King of the seven heavens, grant me for dole,
Thy love in my heart, Thy light in my soul.
Thy light from my soul, Thy love from my heart,
King of the seven heavens, may they never depart.
With the High King of heaven, after 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.
Words: Mary E. Byrne, prose translation (1905); versified by Eleanor H. Hull (1912). Music: Traditional Irish melody SLANE (published 1909). Public domain in the United States: words published 1912 (US, published 1929 or earlier).
The words above are set the way this site sets every song: left aligned, one column, plain type with no italics, and a blank line between stanzas. The sheet has 6 stanzas and 24 lines. Be Thou My Vision is one of the songs in our large print hymns collection, where you can print it with others in one PDF, and the whole set of texts is listed on the large print prayers and hymns page.
Who wrote Be Thou My Vision and when?
The hymn is based on an Old Irish prayer of protection, a type called a lorica. It was long attributed to the sixth-century Saint Dallan Forgaill, but Wikipedia reports that scholars date the language to about the end of the tenth century or the eleventh, and that the surviving manuscripts are from the sixteenth century or perhaps a little earlier.
Mary Elizabeth Byrne published a prose translation in the journal Eriu in 1905. Eleanor Hull, a co-founder of the Irish Texts Society, turned it into verse, published in The Poem-Book of the Gael in 1912, and that is the English text now most used. Since 1919 it has usually been sung to the Irish folk tune Slane, first published in 1909.
When is Be Thou My Vision sung?
It is sung in many traditions and is described by Wikipedia as one of the most popular hymns in the United Kingdom. Its Irish roots make it a natural choice around St. Patrick's Day. If you are planning a folder of songs for the same occasion, the sheets for Holy, Holy, Holy, In the Garden and Nearer, My God, to Thee use the same layout, so they sit well together.
How do you print Be Thou My Vision for a service, a sing-along or a care-home visit?
In our layout tests on US Letter paper, Be Thou My Vision takes 2 pages at 18 point, 3 at 24 point and 4 at 28 point. On 11 x 17 paper at 24 point it takes 1 page. Eighteen point is the smallest size we offer, because the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) says print below 18 point is not large print, and our page on what large print is explains the reasons for 18, 24 and 28 point.
Count the singers first. For a church service, print one copy for each place and keep a small stack at the door. For a sing-along, one for each person. For a care-home visit, one for each resident plus the helpers, printed single-sided so the sheet lies flat on a lap tray. Hull printed twelve couplets, and we group them in pairs, giving six stanzas of four lines. Tell singers which tune you will use, since the words are sung to more than one.