St. Patrick's Breastplate

St. Patrick's Breastplate 

by Margot Cioccio

Pastor Rob first told me about this historical prayer and we have been praying it sometimes as we walk the building during the time before the Sunday Feed. 

I also recently read a wonderful book called How the Irish Saved Civilization.  
I never thought much about St Patrick's day as a holiday. A big drunk party seems an odd way to celebrate the life of a man who was one of the very first missionaries. In that book I gained a greater respect for St. Patrick and again came across the St. Patrick's Breast Plate Prayer.  The words are printed out in the text below. I also found a very nice printable version at Ransomed Heart Ministries as well as some other nice prayers. You'll find this one at the bottom of that page.

A little bit of historical background: 

This prayer is called St Patrick's Breatplate or St Patrick's Lorica. 

Lorica means breastplate in Latin. It seems that St Patrick and his followers prayed this prayer to protect themselves from those in Ireland who would have wanted to kill them.  It is sometimes also called The Deer's Cry because there is a tale of one instance when their enemies should have captured them but only saw deer as they passed by.  There is some debate if St. Patrick actually wrote this prayer but it is a good representaion of his faith in God.  
Want a bit more here is a good article  
Link to: Will the Real St. Patrick Please Stand Up? - Christian Articles Archive
http://www.joyfulheart.com/stpatrick/pat.htm

Did you know St. Patrick used the clover 
to explain the trinity to the Irish people.

Here is a link to a video reading of St. Patrick's Breastplate. 

Here is a link of a video version set to music.

 

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 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 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 the 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 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.

 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 and 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,
Of Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.