Daily Prayer: Praying the Hours

dAiLy pRayER : pRayiNg tHE HOuRS

“I arose before morning dawned and cried out: ‘I place my hope in Your word.’” -Psalm 119:147

^“Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous judgments.”

-Psalm 119:164

Psalm 119:164 (Above) seems to be the Old Testament equivalent of the New Testament admonition to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

The Jewish people never formally observed more than Three Times of Daily Prayer.

Seven is the Biblical number for “completeness.”

The Early Church took this verse more literally, and during the time when worship could only safely be held in the Catacombs, added four additional Hours of Prayer to observe. They did this by simply continuing to pray every three hours. These Hours of Prayer were retained in the early and later Monastic Communities.

hOw wE PRAy tHE HOuRS

“As described Below is how we Pray the Hours. We offer this to show the flexibility you can have, and as general guidelines. It is meant as a framework that can be customized for each individual Christian.

Since none are required, all are voluntary; you can pick and choose, and begin with only one, or with any of the ones you would like to try praying.

You can begin with Morning and Evening Prayer, or The Threefold Daily Prayers. Either of these may be all you ever desire to do.

Or perhaps praying just one Psalm, and reading just one Chapter of the New Testament each day may be a practice that appeals to you more.

You can add, as you wish, any Psalm, Scripture or Prayer, Hymns, or “spiritual songs,” and of course your own personal spontaneous prayers, as the New Testament and Early Church Christians did, and as we also do.

For example, when I used to drive at 2:30 in the morning for half an hour to set up my booth for earning my living at a local Crafts Market), I prayed The Nicene Creed, Psalm 5, The Jesus Shema (Mark 12:28-31), The Ten Commandments, The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and The Celtic Cross Rule.

(Note: I did this for 32 years — in March 2020 when the Covid-19 virus hit, it ended my 32 year-old business overnight, and Lay Monk Linda and I both lost our entire incomes for the entire year. After a very difficult year, God restored our business and income — plus half again more!)

During my Daily Hour of Prayer, I mostly pray different Psalms that I have memorized, or pray/memorize new sections of Scripture. Of course, in both cases, I also offer extemporaneous prayer for the current needs of ourselves and others.

Everyone prays differently; you will be praying as God leads you.”

-Lay Monk Preston

Prayer Upon Awaking

“This is the day that the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!”

-Psalm 118:24

“I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity.
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.”

-First Stanza of St. Patrick’s Breastplate Prayer

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The Nicene Creed (About Us Category)

(Can be prayed at any time during each day). ______________________________

The Threefold Daily Prayers

9 am: The Lord’s Prayer

Noon: The 23rd Psalm

3 pm: Psalm 117

(Actual Times can be Varied)

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One Daily Hour of Prayer (Prayer Category)

Or Half Hour! Can be done at any time convenient. The amount of time you are comfortable with can vary, and be varied on different days. ______________________________

Family Prayer 6 pm or when convenient: 15 Min. works for most.)

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Prayer Before Sleeping

“Lord, Make Me An Instrument of Thy Peace.” (See: “St. Francis Prayers” (Prayer Category) ______________________________

Midnight Prayer (For any time you wake up during the night)

“At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, because of Your righteous judgments.”

-Psalm 119:62

“Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.”

-Psalm 134

tHE SEVEn cAnOnicAl HOuRS Of pRayER

We only list here the Seven Historical Canonical Hours of Prayer, with their specific Daily Set Times, as a matter of informational interest.

The Canons are Church Directives which were passed at Church Councils.

Anyone may be able to observe one or more of these Canonical Hours, but because the times are set, almost only the retired, Ministers, and Full-time Monks with no secular obligations could possibly observe them all at their required, specific times.

Lay Christians (including Lay Monks) need much more flexibility as to times of observance.

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Night – (About) 2 am (Matins, Vigil)

Dawn – Varies (About) 5:00 am – 6:00 am First Hour (Lauds / Prime / Orthros)

9:00 am – Third Hour (Trece)

Noon Prayer – Sixth Hour (Sext)

3:00 pm – Ninth Hour (None)

6:00 pm (Vespers / Evensong)

(About) 7:00 pm (Compline) Before Sleep

(Described by St. Benedict, and even earlier in St. John Cassian’s book, Conferences, regarding the practice of the Desert Fathers.) _____________________________________________

Note: Orthros is an Eastern Orthodox term. Evensong is an Anglican term.

E.M. BOuNdS WRitiNg AbOut pRayER :

“’… in everything, by supplication and prayer, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.’

That is the Divine cure for all fear, anxiety, and undue concern of soul, all of which are closely akin to doubt and unbelief.”

“When we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” we are, in a measure, shutting tomorrow out of our prayer.

We do not live in tomorrow but in today. We do not seek tomorrow’s grace or tomorrow’s bread.

They thrive best, and get most out of life, who live in the living present.

They pray best who pray for today’s needs, not for tomorrow’s, which may render our prayers unnecessary and redundant by not existing at all!”

“Our praying needs to be pressed and pursued with an energy that never tires, a persistency which will not be denied, and a courage that never fails.”

“When faith ceases to pray, it ceases to live.”

“Men, great and influential in other things but small in prayer, cannot do the work Almighty God has set out for His Church to do in this, His world.”

-E.M. Bounds (1835-1913)

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