I Bind Unto Myself Today (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 450)
1 I bind unto myself today
the strong name of the Trinity
by invocation of the same,
the Three in One and One in Three.
2 I bind this day 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 spiced tomb,
his riding up the heavenly way,
his coming at the day of doom,
I bind unto myself today.
3 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.
4 I bind unto myself today
the power of God to hold and lead,
God’s eye to watch, God’s might to stay,
God’s ear to hearken to my need,
the wisdom of my God to teach,
God’s hand to guide, God’s shield to ward,
the word of God to give me speech,
God’s heavenly host to be my guard.
5 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.
6 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!
Text: Patrick, paraphrase Cecil Frances Alexander; Music: Irish; Public Domain
Devotion
“I bind unto myself today, the strong name of the Trinity, by invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three.â€
In all my years as a pastor, I have never heard this hymn sung in a worship service, though it is in both current and predecessor Lutheran hymnals. Though the melody is unfamiliar to some of us, the words are interesting, based as they are on a prayer of St, Patrick called “St. Patrick’s Breastplate”. (You can Google it to get the full prayer.) I often use the prayer in the morning, because it invites the power of the Trinity to begin my day. The prayer, and the hymn tap into the fact that we moderns have forgotten the power of a name. It is the truth behind the 2nd Commandment concern not to use God’s name in vain. Biblically, to know a person’s name, is to connect with the person’s life. A practical suggestion: silently say the name “Jesus” and pay attention to what happens to you. It’s true, there is power in Jesus’ name, and power in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Prayer
Thank you, God, that you have given us access to your life-changing power through the name of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.