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."
Matthew 1:22-23: "22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel' (which means, God with us)."
Revelation 7:13-14: "13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, 'Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?' 14 I said to him, 'Sir, you know.' And he said to me, 'These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.'"
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The text is public domain:
'Tis good, Lord, to be here!
Thy glory fills the night;
Thy face and garments, like the sun,
Shine with unborrowed light.
'Tis good, Lord, to be here,
Thy beauty to behold
Where Moses and Elijah stand,
Thy messengers of old.
Fulfiller of the past
And hope of things to be,
We hail Thy body glorified
And our redemption see.
Before we taste of death,
We see Thy kingdom come;
We long to hold the vision bright
And make this hill our home.
'Tis good, Lord, to be here!
Yet we may not remain;
But since Thou bidst us leave the mount,
Come with us to the plain.
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The Luke 9 text (especially Peter's "it is good that we are here" in verse 33) is the main source for the hymn.
The verses from Matthew appear in the phrase "Fulfiller of the past" at the beginning of the third verse and possibly even the "with us" at the end of the fifth verse. The verse from Psalm 130 - specifically "with the LORD there is... plentiful redemption" - is also in the third verse ("our redemption see").
There's not much in the hymn that seems to come directly from the Revelation text, but I think the second half of the first verse ("Thy face and garments, like the sun, / Shine with unborrowed light") and "the vision bright" in the fourth verse might have some connection with "They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
The verses from Matthew appear in the phrase "Fulfiller of the past" at the beginning of the third verse and possibly even the "with us" at the end of the fifth verse. The verse from Psalm 130 - specifically "with the LORD there is... plentiful redemption" - is also in the third verse ("our redemption see").
There's not much in the hymn that seems to come directly from the Revelation text, but I think the second half of the first verse ("Thy face and garments, like the sun, / Shine with unborrowed light") and "the vision bright" in the fourth verse might have some connection with "They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
