Growing up in the Episcopal Church I was familiar with the word doxology as it was sung following the collection of the offering each week. To be truthful, I thought the name of the tune that was sung with the following words was titled, The Doxology.
Praise God from whom all blessing flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts,
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen
Over time I came to learn that term doxology refers to any short hymn of praise to God in various forms of Christian worship and is often added to the end of canticles, psalms and hymns.
The tradition of the doxology is derived from a practice found in Jewish synagogues where some version of the Kaddish serves to terminate each section of the service.
Among Christian traditions a doxology is typically an expression of praise sung to the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is common in high hymns for the final stanza to take the form of a doxology.
My curiosity was piqued recently on this topic when I came across the term doxology in reference to a prayer attributed to Columba. Not knowing who Columba was and being unfamiliar with the prayer I did some research and here’s what I learned.
Saint Columba (521-597) was an Irish abbot and missionary credited with spreading Christianity in present-day Scotland. He founded the important abbey on Iona, which became a dominant religious and political institution in the region for centuries. He is the Patron Saint of Derry. He was highly regarded by both the Gaels of Dál Riata and the Picts and is remembered today as a Christian saint and one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland.
Columba reportedly studied under some of Ireland's most prominent church figures and founded several monasteries in the country. Around 563 he and his twelve companions sailed to Iona in Scotland, then part of the Irish kingdom of Dál Riata, where they founded a new abbey as a base for spreading Christianity among the northern Pictish kingdoms who were pagan. He remained active in Irish politics, though he spent most of the remainder of his life in Scotland. Three surviving early medieval Latin hymns may be attributed to him. The lyrics to one of those hymns is reprinted below. I was struck by the poetic nature of the hymn in this translation.
O God, thou art the Fatherof all that have believed:from whom all hosts of angelshave life and power received.O God, thou art the makerof all created things,the righteous Judge of judges,the almighty King of kings.
High in the heavenly Zionthou reignest God adored;and in the coming glorythou shalt be Sovereign Lord.Beyond our ken thou shinest,the everlasting Light;ineffable in loving,unthinkable in might.
Thou to the meek and lowlythy secrets dost unfold;O God, thou doest all things,all things both new and old.I walk secure and blessedin every clime or coast,in name of God the Father,and Son, and Holy Ghost.
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