Saint Patrick's Breastplate [or the Faed Fiada “Deer’s Cry”]
The prayer used by St. Patrick to protect his followers from the Druids-He prayed and the whole group appeared to the assassins as deer and ran past the them to the hall of the king where he successfully did a battle of words with the Druids, like Elijah of old . “They can bring darkness, but they cannot bring Light,” he remarked. {I really like this translation because Dr. Siegerson perfectly matched the number of syllables to the original Gaelic of St. Patrick! Can you hear the lilt? It is a 'Lorica' or prayer of protection and is the very first Christian prayer or song composed in Gaelic.}
I bind me to-day
Gods might to direct me
Gods Power to protect me
Gods wisdom for learning
Gods eye for discerning
Gods ear for my hearing
Gods Word for my clearing
Gods hand for my cover
Gods path to pass over
Gods buckler to guard me
Gods army to ward me
Against snares of the devil
Against vices temptation
Against wrong inclination
Against men who plot evil
Near or afar with many or few
Christ near
Christ here
Christ be with me
Christ beneath me
Christ within me
Christ behind me
Christ be o er me
Christ before me
Christ in the left and the right
Christ hither and thither
Christ in the sight
Of each eye that shall seek me
In each ear that shall hear
In each mouth that shall speak me
Christ not the less
In each heart I address
I bind me to-day on the Triune - I call
With faith in the Trinity - unity - God over all.
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