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.
— The Doxology
(For a beautiful rendition listen to the version here below)
A New Word with Ancient Roots
I love the word Doxology, it evokes for me memories of songs like this one. Beautiful harmonies, simple truths. The song this typifies in every way the meaning of the word, even in it’s simplicity. You may never have heard that word, or maybe you feel it’s too archaic. I would love to convince you to use it, not instead of words like Praise or Worship, but in addition to them. Those words are often so vague today that it causes division and arguement. In using a word which is new to most, we can establish a defintion from day one!
When I moved to Germany in 2013 I was told that the word for invite einladen also meant to pay for so any time someone would say “I invite you to come to a restaurant with me” I knew what they meant. In England, the word is more ambiguous, meaning that intentions are far less obvious. Maybe it’s a date, maybe they are angry with me, may I don’t have to pay, maybe I’ll have to pay for them!
Doxology to say what I mean and to make sure that there is no ambiguity.
“Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art”
This chorus from one of the greatest songs in the history of the church (in my humble opinion) gives us an incredible starting point for my definition of doxology I intent to go on using throughout my time writing at the Raven’s Writing Desk.
Before each chorus is a verse in which Saints are called to sing about a time in which they witnessed the glory and splendour of the Lord.
In the first verse, we sing of the awesome nature of his common grace, how creation displays his glory and how it’s power and majesty mirrors his. In the second, we remember the Cross and the sacrifice of our Saviour and in the final verse, we look forward to the coming again of Christ and how he will one day bring us to our final home with him.
For many people I speak to, Praise, Worship and Prayer are all about our hearts speaking to God and our mouths saying what we feel, want and need. Doxology on the other hand, by my definition, starts with us responding to God’s call, majesty and power because we can simply do no other. Most commonly this starts in the Word of God, which should make our hearts sing with joy, praise and at times, lament. The testimony of others and their encounters with the Lord, his Providence and Majesty can also cause our hearts to delight. The darkness in the world can also affect us in ways that point us back to the Lord too. Sometimes things are so difficult that it is impossible to respond in any other way than by running back to our Father and throwing ourselves upon his Grace and Mercy.
“Sing a new song to the Lord,
for he has performed wonders;
his right hand and holy arm
have won him victory.”
— Psalm 98:1 CSB
All throughout the Psalms, we are called to do this very thing, but I’ll just mention this one where we are told to respond to the wonders of the Lord with singing. The Lord is still doing wonders today, awakening hearts to the splendour of his glory, affected hearts that had no hope apart from him and speaking into our lives through the Church and through the Word.
What wonders has the Lord given you and how will you respond?
Perhaps you too can say “Then sings my soul” today.
Grace and Peace,
A.T.Ravenhill
Book of the Month
If you’re looking for an amazing read about a man who’s life exemplifies what it means to serve God, look no further than this biography of George Whitfield. Brutally honest at times and not afraid to let the reader in on the aspects of Whitfield’s life which are more difficult to wrestle with, Dallimore, a wonderful biographer, relays a beautiful and balanced view of the eighteenth century servant.
Thank you
Thank you so much for subscribing to this newsletter, I pray that it would be a blessing to you. I will aim to have this out every Sunday, but usually a tad earlier than this.
Please let me know if there’s anything you would like me to write about,
Grace and Peace,
Adsum Try Ravenhill
Loved the band, what a gorgeous version of the Doxology in a Capella! Thanks so much for sharing. Also, I love the lighthearted tone you have in your writing voice. It Pairs so well with the hefty worthwhile subject matter you share. Makes for a nice treat for the reader. Thank you!