Favorite Hymns (Part 1) - To Be Sung At My Funeral

I had asked the question at our last Home Bible Fellowship, “If you had to choose only three hymns that were to be sung at your funeral, which would they be and why?”

Thinking that I should practice what I preach, I will take a few posts here to give my answers to that question. In reality, I will have a difficult time narrowing it down to just three. My wife already has a running list of hymns and that list contains more that the allotted number of my question. It is my desire that the hymns sung at my funeral (if the LORD should so tarry) would not solicit sorrow but joy. With this in mind, I begin with the one hymn that I believe would be the most melancholy for many of the hymns I desire to have done at my funeral are more of the anthem sort. By the way, unless the LORD wills otherwise, I have no intention of this happening sooner as opposed to latter. But I leave that into the sovereign hands of my good and loving God. Hebrews 9:27 clearly states:

And inasmuch as it is appointed [by God] for men to die once and after this comes judgment…

Here then one of the hymns I desire to be sung by all at my funeral:

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, I Thy true son;

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;

Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;

Be Thou my soul’s Shelter, Be Thou my high Tower:

Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

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.

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.

At­trib­ut­ed to Dal­lan For­gaill, 8th Cen­tu­ry; trans­lat­ed from an­cient
Ir­ish to Eng­lish by Mary E. Byrne in “Eriú,” Jour­nal of
the School of Ir­ish Learn­ing, 1905, and versed by El­ea­nor H. Hull 1912.

This song so speaks to me of my desire (often waning however) of having the LORD be my singular focus. While sin prevents me from enjoying the fullness of communion and intimacy with God, I know that upon my glorification I will enjoy sinless, absolutely sinless fellowship with God. While I currently struggle to keep my eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith (Hebrews 12:2), there will be a day when Jesus will be my full vision (1 John 3:2). Even so, come, LORD Jesus (Revelation 22:20).

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed