Topical Bible: Prayer: Before Daylight

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Prayer before daylight is a practice deeply rooted in biblical tradition, reflecting a commitment to seek God in the quiet and solitude of the early morning hours. This practice is exemplified by several key figures in the Bible, who sought communion with God before the busyness of the day began.

One of the most notable examples is Jesus Christ Himself. In the Gospel of Mark, it is recorded, "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and slipped out to a solitary place to pray" (Mark 1:35). This passage highlights the importance Jesus placed on starting His day with prayer, setting a precedent for His followers to prioritize time with the Father before engaging in daily activities.

The Psalms also reflect the practice of early morning prayer. David, a man after God's own heart, often sought the Lord in the morning. In Psalm 5:3, he declares, "In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice; at daybreak I lay my plea before You and wait in expectation" . This verse underscores the idea of presenting one's requests to God at the start of the day, coupled with a sense of anticipation for His response.

The practice of prayer before daylight is not only about seeking guidance and strength for the day ahead but also about establishing a rhythm of dependence on God. In Psalm 63:1, David again expresses his longing for God in the early hours: "O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You. My soul thirsts for You; my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land without water" . This verse captures the deep yearning for God's presence that can be nurtured through early morning prayer.

The prophet Isaiah also speaks to the discipline of seeking God early. In Isaiah 26:9, he writes, "My soul longs for You in the night; indeed, my spirit within me seeks You at dawn" . This passage illustrates the continuous desire to connect with God, beginning at dawn and extending throughout the day.

The practice of prayer before daylight is further supported by the example of the patriarchs. Abraham, known for his faith and obedience, rose early to stand before the Lord (Genesis 19:27). Similarly, Jacob, after wrestling with God, rose early to set up a pillar in Bethel, marking the place where he encountered God (Genesis 28:18).

In the New Testament, the early church also embraced the discipline of morning prayer. Acts 2:42 describes the believers as devoted to prayer, and while specific times are not always mentioned, the Jewish custom of morning prayer likely influenced their practices.

Prayer before daylight is a spiritual discipline that encourages believers to prioritize their relationship with God, seek His guidance, and align their hearts with His will before the demands of the day take hold. It is a time of quiet reflection, worship, and intercession, setting the tone for a day lived in the presence and power of God.

Nave's Topical Index

Mark 1:35
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Scotland and Ireland
... a hundred prayers, and in the night almost as many, and I used to remain in the
woods and on the mountains, and would rise for prayer before daylight, in the ...
/.../chapter xxv scotland and ireland.htm

Having Summed up the Address of Liberius, St. ...
... Especially he recommends the Lord's Prayer, and the repetition of Psalms by
night, and the recitation of the Creed before daylight. 15. ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter iv having summed up.htm

Little Jennie's Sickness and Death
... Before she was sick she would have little prayer meetings, and her sweet little
face would shine ... Tuesday morning before daylight she tried to tell me something ...
/.../little jennies sickness and death.htm

Flight to Jericho.
... when the evening came the priests shut up the temple, and we returned to the house
of James, and spent the night there in prayer. Then before daylight we went ...
/.../unknown/recognitions of clement /chapter lxxi flight to jericho.htm

The Shadows of the Evening Hours
... THE HYMNAL. I. DAILY PRAYER: Morning Daily Prayer: Evening 22. ... But let the incense
of our prayers. Before thy mercy rise. ... Slowly the rays of daylight fade: ...
/.../daily prayer evening 22 the.htm

Praying Saints of the Old Testaments
... and when night was rapidly coming on, and it was discovered that a few more hours
of daylight were needful to ... "She poured out her soul in prayer before the Lord ...
/.../bounds/prayer and praying men/i praying saints of the.htm

The Forgiving Spirit in Prayer
... Let a little daylight, as Bacon has it, fall on this ... to your assistance in that way
in your prayer, he will ... and he, meeting so often in amity before God, will ...
/.../whyte/lord teach us to pray/xxi the forgiving spirit in.htm

Of Kneeling.
... [8916] But who would hesitate every day to prostrate himself before God, at
least in the first prayer with which we enter on the daylight? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/on prayer/chapter xxiii of kneeling.htm

Treatise iv. On the Lord's Prayer.
... my voice; in the morning will I stand before Thee, and ... no idle and reckless waste
of the occasions of prayer. ... us so watch in the night as if in the daylight. ...
/.../cyprian/the treatises of cyprian/treatise iv on the lords.htm

A Prayer for Pardon and Its Plea
... sake hath forgiven us' is the daylight which the ... more probably it is a reason for
the prayer. ... trifling transgression, you will think twice before you call it ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/a prayer for pardon and.htm