Glory-saying

Glory-Saying

“Let’s sing the doxology!”

The meeting was over, and my client—an octogenarian businessman, lay theologian, and philanthropist—was requesting a song. I’d never had a client or colleague or supervisor suggest that praise to God was the appropriate response to the culmination of our business together. But this man did.

So at his request, six of us who had just labored for a few hours after lunch sang these words in chorus:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise him, all creatures here below;

Praise him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

This brief hymn of praise to the Trinity—known colloquially in Protestant tradition as the doxology—is actually a doxology, one of many composed for and sung in the church. The term itself is a mash-up of two Greek words: doxa, meaning “glory,” and logia, meaning “saying.” In my particular denomination, the words are typically sung in response to the receiving of the offering in Sunday worship. But we were not in worship that day, and we certainly hadn’t taken up an offering.

Or perhaps we were . . . and had. Maybe work well done is worship, the mingling of myriad gifts for the creation of something greater is an offering, and the right response to both is “Glory!”

After that day, the doxology was regularly the final punctuation mark on our time together. The practice that had so startled me at his first suggestion quickly became the most natural thing in the world.

He has since gone home to the Father, but I can still hear his voice singing words of praise and thanksgiving. He was a good man, a man who long served God—and others—with unfailing humility and kindness. And he was the man who taught me that there is no wrong time to “say glory” in response to the one who is above all things and ever with us.

So today with you I sing, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.”

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:7-8, ESV