Wednesday One

One Hymn:

I love hymns. I love more modern praise music too. But I really love the lyrics of the old hymns. Those people knew how to write good lyrics. My current church sings very few hymns and the ones we do sing are completely jazzed out to a more modern, black-gospel style. Sometimes I miss the hymns being sung the old 'First Baptist' way - the way I grew up. Recently I have gotten back into all my old hymns because singing is the only thing that puts Keziah to sleep in under 15 minutes. Every night I sing several old hymns to her at bedtime. I have been truly amazed at how many I remember by heart.

It seems like in every other genre of music my "favorite song" changes every few months. But I have had the same favorite hymn since I was a little girl. It always rings true to me no matter what stage of life I am in. I sing this one to Keziah every single day. So for One Wednesday, I will share the lyrics of my one favorite hymn:

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, 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, 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.