The more a man learns about God, the deeper and richer his praise should be.
Why do you engage in Bible study? What do you reap from your sowing?
Theology is the study of God. Yes that is the barest and briefest of definitions. It is also the study of what God has done, has given, and what he expects from his creatures./1 When we devote ourselves to understanding God and our ourselves in light of him, we are engaging in a theological pursuit.
Doxology is “an ascription of glory or praise to God.”/2 This short definition strips out the Catholic and Protestant baggage, and gets to the heart of biblical doxologies. They are, simply said, words of glory to God. We find them throughout scripture (see Psalm 41:13; Romans 16:27; 1 Timothy 1:17, et al.).
Theology and doxology are closely tied in scripture.
There is something quite precious in the praise of a young child. Their innocence and earnestness magnifies their small voice. Now give that four-year-old eighty years of perceptions into God’s greatness and into their own weakness. The years of appreciation give strength and depth to what might otherwise be a tremulous voice.
Consider the praise offered at the beginning and ending of the earthly sojourning of Jesus. Simeon was a man who was “righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25 ESV). He was told by God that he would not die until he saw the Lord’s Christ (Luke 2:26). While his praise when he saw the young child was inspired (Luke 2:25, 27), it was declared by a man who spent his life looking forward to, and preparing for, this day.
Anna was at least eighty-four (Luke 2:37). She “did not depart from the temple” and she worshiped with fasting and prayer “night and day” (Luke 2:37). When she saw the Christ, “she began to give thanks to God” (Luke 2:38). Oh, to have heard that godly woman praise her Lord!
At the end of Luke’s gospel account, the disciples have seen the risen Savior. Jesus explained to them that “everything written” about him “in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). He “opened their minds to understand the scriptures” (Luke 24:45).
What was the result of this newfound understanding? What did the apostles do when Jesus departed from them? They “worshiped him,” returned to Jerusalem with “great joy,” and continually blessed God in the temple (Luke 24:52, 53).
Doxology without theology is hollow. Theology without doxology is heartless. Perception of God’s plan produces praise. It must. We need the theology to inform our praise. But theology, rightly pursued, demands nothing less than our praise.
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:33, 36).
1/ See R. Allan Killen’s entry on “Theology,” Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia, Charles Pfeiffer, Howard F. Vox, John Rea, editors. (Peabody Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 2008), 1690-1696
2/John M’Clintock and James Strong, “Doxology,” Cyclopædia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1891), 881.