Audrey Assad - Be Thou My Vision Lyrics
Lyrics
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, 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.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise;
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart;
O King of glory, my treasure Thou art.
O King of glory, my victory won;
Rule and reign in me ’til Thy will be done;
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall;
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Video
Audrey Assad — Be Thou My Vision Official Music Video
Meaning & Inspiration
Audrey Assad's rendition of "Be Thou My Vision," featured on her 2016 album *Inheritance*, is a profound offering that transcends mere musical arrangement to become a devotional meditation. This ancient Irish hymn, dating back to the 8th century, finds new breath and depth in Assad's sensitive interpretation, inviting listeners into a space of intimate worship. The core of the song's enduring power lies in its unvarnished expression of ultimate devotion. It's not simply a beautiful melody, but a distillation of a life's ambition: to have God as the singular focus, the "vision" that guides every thought, action, and desire.
The message of "Be Thou My Vision" is a powerful echo of biblical principles concerning idolatry and the paramount importance of placing God first. The opening lines, "Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art," directly align with the Shema, the foundational declaration of Jewish faith found in Deuteronomy 6:4: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." This concept of divine singularity is further emphasized by Jesus in Matthew 22:37, where He declares, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Assad's performance amplifies this imperative, stripping away earthly distractions to focus on the divine presence as the ultimate truth and guide. The aspiration to have God as one's "best thought, by day or by night; Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light" draws a parallel to Psalm 139:18, which speaks of God's constant awareness and presence, and to the New Testament concept of Christ as the "light of the world" (John 8:12).
The second stanza delves deeper into the relational aspect of faith, proclaiming, "Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true Word." This directly references the understanding of Jesus as the living Word of God (John 1:1) and the source of all true wisdom, as described in Proverbs 2:6: "For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." The declaration, "I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord," resonates with the promise of Immanuel, "God with us" (Matthew 1:23), and the assurance of Christ in John 14:16-17, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth." The profound statement of unity, "Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one," finds its spiritual fulfillment in John 17:21, where Jesus prays for His followers to be one, "even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us."
The third stanza addresses the temptation of worldly possessions and accolades, stating, "Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise." This rejection of ephemeral values is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, urging believers to focus on heavenly treasures rather than earthly ones (Matthew 6:19-21). The line, "Thou mine inheritance, now and always," speaks to the believer's true inheritance found in Christ, a concept rooted in Ephesians 1:11, where believers are "predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will." The unwavering commitment, "Thou and Thou only, first in my heart; O King of glory, my treasure Thou art," reiterates the central command to love God above all else and to recognize Him as the ultimate reward.
The final stanza offers a prayer for active, transformative reign within the believer's life. "O King of glory, my victory won; Rule and reign in me ’til Thy will be done," is a surrender to God's sovereign purpose, echoing the prayer taught by Jesus Himself: "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). The plea, "Heart of my own heart, whatever befall; Still be my vision, O Ruler of all," encapsulates a deep trust and dependence, a commitment to maintain divine focus regardless of life's circumstances. This enduring vision of God's sovereignty and presence, as rendered by Audrey Assad, transforms a timeless hymn into a contemporary call to a life fully surrendered to Him, a powerful reminder that true sight and abundant life are found only in beholding Him.