I Bind unto Myself Today

Lyrics

I bind unto myself today
the strong name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same,
the Three in One, and One in Three.

I bind unto myself today
the virtues of the star-lit heaven,
the glorious sun's life-giving ray,
the whiteness of the moon at even,
the flashing of the lightning free,
the whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,
the stable earth, the deep salt sea,
around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
the power of God to hold and lead,
his eye to watch, his might to stay,
his ear to hearken to my need
the wisdom of my God to teach,
his hand to guide, his shield to ward,
the word of God to give me speech,
his heav'nly host to be my guard.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the name,
the strong name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same,
the Three in One, and One in Three,
of whom all nature has creation,
eternal Father, Spirit, Word.
Praise to the Lord of my salvation:
salvation is of Christ the Lord.

History

This hymn is Cecil Frances Alexander's metrical version of the ancient Irish hymn of protection, or lorica, known as St Patrick's Breastplate. It was credited to Patrick as early as Tírechán's Collections around AD 690, and legend tells how Patrick and his companions were protected when their opponents mistook them for a herd of deer; Patrick's authorship, however, rests on tradition rather than proof. Alexander made her version, based on Whitley Stokes's translation, for St Patrick's Day 1889 at the request of H. H. Dickinson, Dean of the Chapel Royal at Dublin Castle, and it was published that year in Charles Wright's edition of The Writings of St Patrick before entering the Irish Church Hymnal in 1891. Because the 'Christ be with me' section has a different rhythm, most hymnals give it a second melody.

Cecil Frances Humphreys was born at Redcross, County Wicklow, and in 1850 married the Revd William Alexander, later Bishop of Derry and Raphoe and primate of Ireland. She published Hymns for Little Children in 1848, and her many hymns include 'All things bright and beautiful', 'Once in royal David's city' and 'There is a green hill far away'. She travelled many miles each day to visit the sick and the poor and, with her sister, founded a school for the deaf. She died at Londonderry on 12 October 1895.

Performance

This recording by St Martin's Voices runs to a little over five minutes: a short organ introduction leads into five verses, closing with a brief organ postlude.

Sources: hymnary.org · hymnologyarchive.com · St Martin's Voices recording and Words book