doxology

Doxology is a short hymn or formula of praise to God, often used in Christian worship. The term comes from the Greek doxa, meaning "glory," combined with -logia, meaning "speaking" or "saying." In liturgical use, a doxology is typically a brief, sung or spoken expression of praise that may close a canticle, prayer, or service.

There are several customary forms. The Lesser Doxology, usually titled Gloria Patri, begins with "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit…" and is commonly recited after psalms, readings, or hymns in Catholic, Anglican, and many Protestant traditions. In other contexts, longer doxologies may be used, sometimes referred to as the Great Doxology, as found in certain Orthodox or Western rites.

Well-known biblical and hymn-based doxologies include the Gloria in excelsis Deo ("Glory to God in the highest"), used in the Mass and other liturgies, and the metrical hymn "Praise God, from whom all blessings flow" (the Old Hundredth), popular in Protestant hymnody. Doxologies often conclude prayers or hymns and may end with "Amen" to signal assent.

Etymologically and functionally, doxology denotes praise directed toward God expressed in a fixed formula or hymn. While most closely associated with Christian worship, the term can be applied more broadly to formal expressions of praise in other religious or secular contexts.