Be Thou My Vision
Calvary Creative Lyrics
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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.
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.
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 lyrics of Calvary Creative's song, "Be Thou My Vision," present the idea of surrendering oneself to the Lord and allowing Him to be the guiding force in every aspect of life, from day to night, waking to sleeping, and even after death. The use of the phrase "O Lord of my heart" immediately establishes a deep and personal connection between the singer and God. The "vision" that the singer seeks is not one of earthly wealth or fame, but rather the transcendence of the self through a spiritual relationship with God. This idea is reinforced by the repeated reinterpretation and subversion of earthly power structures, such as wealth and status. Instead of seeking these things, the singer seeks the "true Word" of God.
Line by Line Meaning
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Lord, be my guide and light; no one and nothing else is as important to me.
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art;
Apart from you, Lord, I value nothing else as important.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
You, Lord, are my main focus in my mind, whether day or night.
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
No matter if I'm awake or asleep, your presence brings me illumination and guidance.
Be thou my Wisdom, and thou my true Word;
Lord, be my source of wisdom and the truth I live by.
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
I want to be constantly with you, Lord, and for you to always be with me.
Thou my great Father, and I thy true son,
You are my loving Father, and I am your faithful son.
Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
May you, Lord, live in me, and may I be united with you.
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise;
I do not care about accumulating wealth or gaining the admiration of others.
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
You, Lord, are my prized possession both now and forever.
Thou and thou only, first in my heart,
You and only you, Lord, have the topmost place in my heart.
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.
You, Lord, are the King of heaven, and I treasure you dearly.
High King of heaven, my victory won,
The Lord, who is the King of heaven, has won the victory for me.
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Sun!
May I one day enjoy the blessings of heaven and be in the presence of God, who is the sun of the bright heavens.
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
You are the center of my life, Lord, and no matter what happens, I am devoted to you.
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Lord, please continue to be my guide and leader, you who rule over everything.
Contributed by Xavier K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.