pints, prayers and Patrick...

It's St Patrick's Day.
A time to wear lurid green accessories,
a time to drink dark pints of Guinness,
a time to vaguely remember [depth of vagueness proportionally equal to number of pints consumed?] St Patrick.
Not that this is a particularly Presbyterian practice - the pints perhaps, but not remembering the saint...
One of my favourite hymns comes from the prayer of Patrick for protection - a lorica - St Patrick's Breastplate.  According to the old sotries, Patrick was fleeing from druids intent on attacking him, so he prayed this prayer... as he fled, apparently the druids saw only a deer running, hence the other name for the prayer is 'the deer's cry.'
Not that many good versions on youtube, but this one was not too bad... and words below the video.  Happy St P's...



I Bind unto Myself Today
By: attr. St. Patrick

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 forever,
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation,
His baptism in the Jordan River,
His cross of death 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.
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.
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!