I’ve been thinking a lot about this song lately and I wanted to share a personal testimony from the song that we often sing without thought or consideration.  I will quote the song in poetry and then paraphrase the meaning below each stanza.

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.

Master of my inner-most being, let my spiritual eyes be focused clearly on You.

Do not let anything else mean anything to me except You.
I want You to be that which thrills my mind all day and all night.

When I rise and when I sleep, let Your presence, like the sun, light my path.

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.

Lord, You are my wisdom and my living Word

I will live with You forever and you will be with me too.
You are my father and I am Your son.

You live in me and I live in You.

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.

I will not pay attention to money or acclaim

You mean more to me than anything money can buy.

You and You alone have first place in my heart.

You are my King and my Treasure.

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.

 

As the King of Heaven, You have won the war for me.

On this basis I will see Heaven and the Son that lights it.

Because I desire You with the deepest part of my being, no matter what happens,

let my spiritual eyes be focused clearly on You, the King of my life.