My Favorite Hymn

Above:  The First Two Pages of “I Bind Unto Myself Today” from The Hymnal (1918)

Image Source = Kenneth Randolph Taylor

You may have a favorite hymn, O reader.  I have one:  “I Bind Unto Myself Today,” with original words attributed to St. Patrick (372-466) and the English translation by Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895), wife of the Anglican Archbishop of Armagh.  I recall growing up in rural United Methodist congregations in southern Georgia, U.S.A.  Some of these churches considered gospel songs from the 1920s old.  How about a text which goes back the 400s in its original language?  Yes, I have a fine sense of history.  “I Bind Unto Myself Today” spans seven verses and four pages in the Episcopal Hymnal (1918) and seven verses and three pages in the Episcopal Hymnal 1982.  One of the better choices the recent hymnal committee for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) made was to include this hymn (in six verses on three pages) in Glory to God:  The Presbyterian Hymnal (2013).

Above:  The First Page of “I Bind Unto Myself Today” from Glory to God:  The Presbyterian Hymnal (2013)

Image Source = Kenneth Randolph Taylor

The hymn appeals to my preference for wordy, theologically dense texts, as opposed to spirituals and “seven-eleven” songs with few, frequently repeated words.  I could nitpick the text, but why?

I bind unto myself today the strong name of the Trinity,

by invocation of the same, the Three in One and One in Three.

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I bind this day to me for ever,

by power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;

his baptism in the Jordan river;

his death on cross for my salvation;

his bursting from the spiced tomb;

his riding up the heavenly way;

his coming at the day of doom:

I bind unto myself today.

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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 prophet’s scrolls;

all good deeds done unto the Lord,

and purity of virgin souls.

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I bind unto myself today

the virtues of the starlit 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.

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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.

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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.

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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 hath creation,

eternal Father, Spirit, Word:

praise to the Lord of my salvation,

salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Is the hymn not glorious?

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

JUNE 15, 2014 COMMON ERA

TRINITY SUNDAY, YEAR A

THE FEAST OF JOHN ELLERTON, ANGLICAN PRIEST AND HYMN WRITER AND TRANSLATOR

THE FEAST OF EVELYN UNDERHILL, ANGLICAN MYSTIC

THE FEAST OF SAINT LANDELINUS OF VAUX, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT; SAINT AUBERT OF CAMBRAI, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP; SAINT URSMAR OF LOBBES, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT AND MISSIONARY BISHOP; AND SAINTS DOMITIAN, HADELIN, AND DODO OF LOBBES, ROMAN CATHOLIC MONKS

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