A Shield for Me

The ministry of Bishop Patrick began with a dream where he saw the people of Ireland pleading with him, "We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more."

Years before when he was in his teens, Patrick had been a slave in Ireland, and he understood the people and customs of the land.  He knew that if he now left his home in Scotland and followed this call, he would be surrounded by pagans and Druids, and he knew he would experience opposition to his mission of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Lord was with him, though, and in mid-400 AD he and his disciples preached and converted thousands, built churches, and saw even kings, their families, and entire kingdoms become Christian.

Over a 40-year span Patrick, with God’s mighty assistance, saw all of Ireland released from the grip of paganism.

The prayer attributed to him, entitled Patrick’s Breastplate, invokes God’s protection from the dangers Christ’s disciples face daily.  It is a powerful prayer Patrick may have prayed, an ageless one that we too can pray. 

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 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 with me,

Christ before me,

Christ behind me,

Christ in me,

Christ beneath me,

Christ above me,

Christ on my right,

Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down,

Christ when I sit down,

Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

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.