Doxology!
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
The lyrics above are known as the Doxology. What does that mean? Doxology is a Greek word that roughly translates, “to speak Honor” or “to speak Glory”. For whatever reason, I feel like growing up I heard this short song sung often. Now I don’t feel I hear it as much. I woke up several days this week with these words in my head. Which led me to research where it came from. What we sing is actually just the 14th and final stanza of a much longer hymn titled “Morning Hymn” which was written by the Anglican Bishop Thomas Ken. The full song has some powerful lyrics,
Awake, my soul, and with the sun
Thy daily stage of duty run;
Shake off dull sloth, and joyful rise
To pay thy morning sacrifice.Thy precious time mispent, redeem,
Each present day thy last esteem ;
Improve thy talent with due care,
For the great day thyself prepare.In conversation be sincere,
Keep conscience as the noon-tide clear :
Think how all-seeing God thy ways
And all thy secret thoughts surveys.By influence of the light divine,
Let thy own light to others shine,
Reflect all heaven’s propitious rays,
In ardent love, and cheerful praise.Wake, and lift up thyself, my heart,
And with the angels bear thy part,
Who all night long unwearied sing
High praise to the eternal King.I wake, I wake; ye heavenly choir,
May your devotion me inspire,
That I like you my age may spend,
Like you may on my God attend.May I like you in God delight,
Have all day long my God in sight,
Perform like you my Maker’s will,
O may I never more do ill.Had I your Wings, to Heaven I’d fly,
But God shall that defect supply,
And my Soul wing’d with warm desire,
Shall all day long to Heav’n aspire.All praise to Thee who safe hast kept,
And hast refresh’d me whilst I slept.
Grant Lord, when I from death shall wake,
I may of endless Light partake.I would not wake, nor rise again,
And Heav’n itself I would disdain ;
Were’t not Thou there to be enjoy’d,
And I in Hymns to be employ’d.Heav’n is, dear Lord, where e’er Thou art,
O never then from me depart ;
For to my Soul, ’tis Hell to be,
But for one moment void of Thee.Lord, I my vows to Thee renew,
Disperse my sins as Morning dew,
Guard my first springs of Thought and Will,
And with Thy self my Spirit fill.Direct, control, suggest, this day,
All I design, or do, or say,
That all my Powers with all their might,
In Thy sole Glory may unite.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.
Thomas Ken had high hopes for his Morning Hymn, He thought that every Christian should begin and end their day with this song. What a wonderful practice this would be for us. I encourage you this week to wake up each morning and go to bed each evening Speaking Praise, Glory, and Honor to God. Start the day with the 7th stanza, “May I like you in God delight, Have all day long my God in sight, Perform like you my Maker’s will, O may I never more do ill.” and end the day with the stanza 14th stanza, “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!”
