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Stanza 1 sets the theme for this song in pointing to the plan of God to embrace us, which was formed before “the first light shone”. Paul, in Ephesians 1:3-14, explains it more fully. Other references such as John 6:47-51, Romans 8:37-39, and I Thessalonians 4:13-18 reinforce this truth.
Stanza 4 – the story of Hagar is found in Genesis 16:7-16 (and Galatians 4:21-31); the story of Sarah is contained in Genesis 17:15-22, 18:1-15, and 21:1-7; and that of Abraham is found in Genesis 12, 15, 17 and supplementary passages.
Rare is the song that reaches back into eternity, back into the “deep, unbounded darkness” of the world before creation, to note the work of God in “embracing us,” his children, as his own. In doing so, this song echoes the teachings of the Canons of Dort I, 7: “Before the foundation of the world, by sheer grace, according to the free good pleasure of his will, God chose in Christ to salvation a definite number...” The same is professed in Belgic Confession, Article 16.