Thou angel of God who hast chargeFrom the dear Father of mercifulness,The shepherding kind of the fold of the saintsTo make round about me this night;Drive from me every temptation and danger,Surround me on the sea of unrighteousness,And in the narrows, crooks, and straits,Keep thou my coracle, keep it always.Be thou a bright flame before me,Be thou a guiding star above me,Be thou a smooth path below me,And be a kindly shepherd behind me,To-day, to-night, and for ever.I am tired and I a stranger,Lead thou me to the land of angels;For me it is time to go homeTo the court of Christ, to the peace of heaven.
Ancient Celtic prayer collected by Alexander Carmichael (1832-1912), published inCarmina Gadelica(Edinburgh: Floris Books, 1992). These are prayers, hymns, and incantations collected in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland in the 19th century.