Unless stated otherwise, my source for hymn texts and tunes is The Lutheran Service Book.

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

LSB #413 "O Wondrous Type! O Vision Fair"

Biblical citations in the hymnal: Luke 9:28-36; John 1:14, 17:24

Luke 9:28-36:  "28 Now about eight days after these sayings he [Jesus] took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray.  29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white.  30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.  32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.  33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, 'Master, it is good that we are here.  Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah' - not knowing what he said.  34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.  35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!'  36 And when the voice has spoken, Jesus was found alone.  And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen."

John 1:14:  "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

John 17:24:  "'Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.'"

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The text is public domain:
O wondrous type! O vision fair
Of glory that the Church may share,
Which Christ upon the mountain shows,
Where brighter than the sun He glows!
With Moses and Elijah nigh
The incarnate Lord holds converse high;
And from the cloud the Holy One
Bears record to the only Son.
With shining face and bright array
Christ deigns to manifest today
What glory shall be theirs above
Who joy in God with perfect love.
And faithful hearts are raised on high
By this great vision's mystery,
For which in joyful strains we raise
The voice of prayer, the hymn of praise.
O Father, with the eternal Son
And Holy Spirit ever one,
We pray Thee, bring us by Thy grace
To see Thy glory face to face.
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There's not very much to say about this one.  The text from Luke is the main source; both it and the hymn describe the Transfiguration.  The other verses from John seem to be cited because they both mention seeing Christ's glory.  The last verse of the hymn has the same object as John 17:24, just looking at it from a different direction.  The hymn has "We pray... To see Thy glory face to face" where Jesus prays, "I desire that they also... may... see my glory."  The description of "the incarnate Lord" in the second verse might also come specifically from John 1:14 ("the Word became flesh and dwelt among us").