Saint Patrick’s Breastplate

St Patrick's Breastplate is a prayer commonly said to have been written by Saint Patrick in the fifth century however as the style is based on that used in druidic incantations it is most likely that it was actually written in the eighth century and therefore was never uttered by Saint Patrick at all.

Other names for this prayer include "Faeth Fiada", “The Lorica of St. Patrick" (or sometimes simply “The Lorica”) as well as “The Deer’s Prayer” or “I bind until myself today”, which is the first line of the prayer. The reference to Saint Patrick’s Breastplate arises from the words in the prayer seek God’s protection and it most often used for protection on a journey.

Saint Patrick’s Breastplate is often sung today as a Christian hymn, particularly on Saint Patrick’s Day or Trinity Sunday and is currently included in the English Hymnal, the Irish Church Hymnal and The Hymnal (1982) of the U.S. Episcopal Church.
As the prayer was originally written in old Irish, it has been translated into English. There are two common translations, the first is the more traditional translation by Cecil Frances Alexander and is as follows:

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.

The second translation by Kuno Meyer is somewhat more modernised and is as follows:

I arise today

Through a mighty strength,

the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the threeness,

Through confession of the oneness

Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today

Through the strength of

Christ’s birth with His baptism,

Through the strength of

His crucifixion with His burial,

Through the strength of

His resurrection with His ascension,

Through the strength of

His descent for the judgement of Doom.

I arise today

Through the strength of

the love of the Cherubim,

In the obedience of angels,

In the service of archangels,

In the hope of the resurrection

to meet with reward,

In the prayers of patriarchs,

In prediction of prophets,

In preaching of apostles,

In faith of confessors,

In innocence of holy virgins,

In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today

Through the strength of heaven;

Light of sun,

Radiance of moon,

Splendour of fire,

Speed of lightning,

Swiftness of wind,

Depth of sea,

Stability of earth,

Firmness of rock.

I arise today

Through God’s strength to pilot me:

God’s might to uphold me,

God’s wisdom to guide me,

God’s eye to look before me,

God’s ear to hear me,

God’s word to speak to me,

God’s hand to guard me,

God’s way to lie before me,

God’s shield to protect me,

God’s host to save me,

From snares of devils,

From temptation of vices,

From every one who shall wish me ill,

Afar and anear,

Alone and in a multitude.

I summon today all these powers

between me and those evils,

Against every cruel merciless

power that may oppose my body

and soul,

Against incantations of false prophets,

Against black laws of pagandom,

Against false laws of heretics,

Against craft of idolatry,

Against spells of women and

smiths and wizards,

Against every knowledge

that corrupts man’s body and soul.

Christ to shield me today

Against poising, against burning,

Against drowning, against wounding,

So there come to me

abundance of reward.

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

every one who speaks of me,

Christ in the eye of

every one who sees me,

Christ in every ear

that hears me.

I arise today

Through a mighty strength,

the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the threeness,

Through confession of the oneness

Of the Creator of Creation.