Psalm 118:13-24: "13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me.
"14 The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. 15 Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: 'The right hand of the LORD does valiantly, 16 the right hand of the LORD exalts, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!'
"17 I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD. 18 The LORD has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.
"19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD. 20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. 21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. 22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Ephesians 1:19b-23: "according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all."
Romans 6:4: "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."
Acts 2:1-4: "1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance."
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This hymn is formatted a bit differently, and it has three sets of initial two verses - one set for Easter, one for Ascension, and one for Pentecost. Romans 6:4 is the text for the Easter verses, the text from Ephesians 1 is the basis for the Ascension verses, and Acts 2:1-4 is the text for the Pentecost verses (and perhaps also the fifth verse, which begins: "Spirit of life and of pow'r, / Now flow in us, fount of our being").
That leaves only the text from Psalm 118. There are some small connections between it and the specific verses for Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost, but I think it appears most clearly in the refrain. "Hail thee, festival day! / Blest day to be hallowed forever" has the same feeling as verse 24: "This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
That leaves only the text from Psalm 118. There are some small connections between it and the specific verses for Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost, but I think it appears most clearly in the refrain. "Hail thee, festival day! / Blest day to be hallowed forever" has the same feeling as verse 24: "This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
