A doxology is a short hymn sung in praise of God (often the Trinity) in various Christian liturgies. The tradition comes from Jewish synagogue practice.

In Latin, a doxology is added to many hymns and psalms when they are used in Catholic worship. A typical doxology in Latin is the Gloria Patri:

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in sæcula sæculorum, Amen.

(Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.)

Several English doxologies are in frequent use in Protestant worship. Following are two that are frequently encountered in many different denominations:

Glory be to the Father

And to the Son

And to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning,

Is now, and ever shall be;

World without end, amen, amen.

This one translates the Latin doxology fairly literally. Another that is found among many denominations is:

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. Amen.

This doxology is usually sung to the tune Old 100th, but also to Duke Street, by John Hatton and The Eight Tune by Thomas Tallis.

Another familiar doxology is the phrase at the end of the traditional Lord's Prayer not found in the original scripture: "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever, amen."

The doxology most commonly encountered in English liturgies of Eastern Orthodoxy is said as follows:

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now, ever and unto the ages of ages.

The english version of Iglesia ni Cristo's doxology goes as follows:

All Glory to the Father's name

Exhault the Lord His only Son

And to the Holy Spirit praise

On Earth and Heaven Everyone

Amen

At Matins, Orthodox worship specifies a Great Doxology for feast days and a Small Doxology for ordinary days (both include the Gospel doxology Gloria in Excelsis of the angel's (Luke 2:14): Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill among men.)

Because most Christian worship services include a doxology, and these hymns therefore were familiar and well-practiced among church choirs, the English word sockdolager arose, a deformation of doxology, which came to mean a "show-stopper," a production number.