St. Patrick's Breastplate
My darling and wonderful wife started posting things she loves about being Anglican over at her family blog. I thought it such a good idea (and such a fun insight into my wife's spirituality) that I decided to do the same. So - this is a shameless rip-off.
First, I love the music. In particular, I love the ancient hymns with lyrics and tunes that are so rich, full, and glorious. What makes these so much "more" than modern hymnody? I believe it is because these ancient hymns were born of pain, suffering, and a struggle greater than we have ever known in our comfy American lives.
Art does reflect life. And as American culture becomes ever more shallow, silly, and sentimental, the music of the Church has degenerated into little ditties that are sometimes described as "Jesus is my boy-friend, and I really love him" songs.
But when Christians were kidnapped, enslaved for most of their their childhood, dreamed visions that led to escape, trained for years in monastaries that faced hunger, murderous poverty, and plague - only to be sent by the Holy Spirit to go back and convert their former slave-masters - those Christians wrote hymns like this:
St. Patrick's Breast-Plate
1940 Hymnal
Tune: St. Patrick
lyrics: St. Patrick, Missionary bishop who converted Ireland
after being a slave there (377-466)
Tranlation: Cecil Alexander, 1889
Note: The italicized portion does not appear in the 1940 hymnal. 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 this today to me forever
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river,
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.
I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of cherubim;
The sweet ‘Well done’ in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors’ faith, Apostles’ word,
The Patriarchs’ prayers, the prophets’ scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord
And purity of virgin souls.
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 heavenly host to be my guard.
Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility
I bind to me these holy powers.
Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave, the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.
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.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
To which I say: Amen! And thanks be to God!
