Great Doxology

The Great Doxology is an ancient hymn of praise to the Trinity which is chanted or read daily in the Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Churches.

Glory to you who has shown us the light.

Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill to all people.

We praise you, we bless you, we worship you, we glorify you, we give thanks to you for your great glory.

Lord, King, heavenly God, Father, almighty; Lord, the only‑begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit.

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father who take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us, you who take away the sins of the world.

Receive our prayer, you who sit at the right hand of the Father, and have mercy on us.

For you only are holy, only you are Lord

Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Each day we bless you, and we praise your name forever and to the ages of ages.

Lord, grant that we may be kept this day without sin.

Blessed are you, Lord, God of our fathers. Your name is praised and glorified throughout all ages. Amen.

Let your mercy, Lord, be upon us, as our trust is in you.

Blessed are you, Lord, teach me your statutes (3).

Lord, you have been our refuge from generation to generation. I said: Lord, have mercy on me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

Lord, to you have I fled; teach me to do your will, for you are my God.

For you are the source of life, and in your light we shall see light.

Extend your mercy to those who know you.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us (3).

Glory . . . Now and forever . . .

Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

(Then we sing in a stronger voice:)

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

The opening of the hymn is based on Luke 2:14, in which the angelic host appears to the shepherds and announces to them the Nativity of Christ. The hymn also incorporates verses from Psalm 145:2 and Psalm 119:12. The hymn is one of the most famous liturgical exclamations of praise (doxology) in the history of the Christian Church.

The Great Doxology comes from an ancient Greek hymn dating from at least the 3rd century, and perhaps even the 1st century. A very similar form is found in the Codex Alexandrinus (5th century) and in Pseudo-Athanasius (sometime prior to the 4th century). The hymn has been extended further than these earlier examples (and what could be interpreted as allusions to subordinationism have been corrected).

The Great Doxology has some similarities to Polycarp's final prayer before his martyrdom, as it is recorded by Eusebius. "I praise Thee for all, I bless Thee, I glorify Thee..." Polycarp is said to have been martyred 156-167 A.D.

As currently used, the hymn is found in several different forms:

Great Doxology

The Great Doxology—Chanted by the choir, at Matins on Sundays and Feast days. The Great Doxology ends with the Trisagion.

Lesser Doxology

The Lesser Doxology—Read by the Reader on simple weekdays at Matins and at Compline. The verses are slightly rearranged from the Great Doxology, the verse from Psalm 119 is repeated in a different manner, and the Trisagion at the end is replaced by a different doxology.

Vouchsafe, O Lord

Vouchsafe, O Lord—a much more abbreviated form (essentially, the last half of the Lesser Doxology), which is read (except during Bright Week, when it is sung) every day at Vespers.

At each of these hymns, the words “Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin,” will be altered to correspond with the time of day:

• At Matins: "this day"
• At Vespers: "this evening"
• At Compline: "this night"

There is a Latin version of the first part of the hymn (as far as the Amen), the Gloria in Excelsis Deo, which has come into wide use in the Western liturgical tradition. According to tradition, the Latin translation was made by St. Hilary of Poitiers (300 to 367). St. Hilary had been banished to Phrygia for four years (c. 356) by the emperor Constantius II because of his defense of the faith against Arianism. In the East he would have been exposed to the hymn during his exile, and could very easily have brought a version of it back with him.

See also

• Gloria in excelsis Deo

References

• Parry, Ken; David Melling (editors) (1999). The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity. Malden, MA.: Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 0-631-23203-6.