📖 Biblical Definition
A doxology (Greek doxa, "glory," + logia, "word") is a brief utterance of praise that ascribes all glory, honor, and dominion to God forever. Scripture is full of them: Romans 11:36, Ephesians 3:20-21, 1 Timothy 1:17, Jude 24-25, and the great heavenly doxologies of Revelation 4-5. The doxology seals prayers, sermons, and epistles with a verbal Amen of worship; in the Reformed liturgical tradition the Trinitarian doxology ("Praise God from whom all blessings flow...") is sung at the close of worship. A doxology is not filler; it is the heart of redeemed speech, the right way to end any sentence about God.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
A giving glory to God.
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A hymn or form of giving glory to God. The doxology in the ancient church was a short hymn used at the close of the Psalms and other public worship.
📖 Key Scripture
Romans 11:36 — "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen."
Ephesians 3:21 — "To Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations."
Jude 1:25 — "To God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty."
Revelation 5:13 — "Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Reduced to a sung tag at the end of an offering, severed from the prayers it once sealed.
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Modern services often treat the doxology as a musical formality, a verse to stand for while ushers count the take. The words are unexamined and the heart untouched. Scripture treats glory-giving as the climax of every doctrine and every prayer. When Paul finishes a chain of reasoning, he breaks into doxology because thinking rightly about God ends in praising Him.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Greek doxa (glory) joined with logos (word) becomes the verbal offering of glory.
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G1391 — doxa — glory, honor, splendor
G3056 — logos — word, saying, utterance
Usage
"Paul ends Romans 11 with a doxology because right doctrine demands it."
"Every prayer should crest in a doxology before it closes with Amen."
"The doxology is not a filler; it is the point."