Tis Good Lord to be Here

This is a hymn about the Transfiguration of Jesus.

The words were written by English clergyman and sometime Dean of Westminster, Joseph Armitage Robinson (1858-1933)

With meter 6.6.8.6, tunes it is set to include:

SWABIA (Spiess) by Johann M Spiess (1745)
CARLISLE (Lockhart) by Charles Lockhart (1745-1815) - this appears to be the most requently used tune in recordings
POTSDAM by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Downloads

PowerPoint slides

Choral arrangement (SAB) with organ arranged by Paul J. Monachino, based on SWABIA

Examples

Singer with piano:

Singer, self-accompanied on guitar:

Singer with organ:

Cantor and congregation with organ, recorded live in a church service, tune SWABIA:

Instrumental - organ, with on-screen lyrics:

Lyrics

Traditional language

1 'Tis good, Lord, to be here,
thy glory fills the night;
thy face and garments, like the sun,
shine with unborrowed light.

2 'Tis good, Lord, to be here,
thy beauty to behold,
where Moses and Elijah stand,
thy messengers of old.

3 Fulfiller of the past,
promise of things to be,
we hail thy body glorified,
and our redemption see.

4 Before we taste of death,
we see thy kingdom come;
we fain would hold the vision bright,
and make this hill our home.

5 '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.

Modern language

1 'Tis good, Lord, to be here,
Your glory fills the night;
Your face and garments, like the sun,
shine with unborrowed light.

2 'Tis good, Lord, to be here,
Your beauty to behold,
where Moses and Elijah stand,
Your messengers of old.

3 Fulfiller of the past,
promise of things to be,
we hail Your body glorified,
and our redemption see.

4 Before we taste of death,
we see Your kingdom come;
we fain would hold the vision bright,
and make this hill our home.

5 'Tis good, Lord, to be here,
yet we may not remain;
but since you bid us leave the mount,
come with us to the plain.