Daytime Prayer (The Little Hours)

The hymns selected for use with the Daytime Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours reflect the varying themes of the "Little Hours" of the Office: Midmorning (Terce), Midday (Sext), and Mid-Afternoon (None). The modern Daytime Prayer has been arranged in such a way that the faithful can choose any one of these canonical hours and not miss any of the Psalms in the 4-week cycle; or if obliged or so desired, can pray all three of the hours. "Following a very ancient tradition Christians have made a practice of praying out of private devotion at various times of the day, even in the course of their work, in imitation of the Church in apostolic times." - General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours.

LITURGY OF THE HOURS (1975)
- Midmorning (Terce) -

18. Breathe on Me, Breath of God

19. From All That Dwell Below the Skies (with Alleluias)

20. From All That Dwell Below the Skies

21. Father, Lord of Earth and Heaven
22. Holy Spirit, Come Confirm Us
23. Come, Holy Ghost, Who Ever One

127. Come, Holy Ghost, Creator, Come

128. The Spirit of God

129. Holy Spirit, God of Light

130. Splendor of Creation (Send Forth Your Spirit)

- Midday (Sext) -
24. Help Us, O Lord
25. Lord of All Hopefullness
26. Lord of All Being, Throned Afar
27. Almighty Ruler, God of Truth
- Mid-Afternoon (None) -
13. God Father, Praise and Glory
28. Firmly I Believe and Truly
29. Lord God and Maker of All Things
30. Most Ancient of All Mysteries
31. Faith of Our Fathers
82. Sing Praise to Our Creator

131. All Hail, Adored Trinity

133. Come Thou Almighty King

DIVINE OFFICE (1974)
- Daytime Prayer -
O Blessèd Lord, Creator God
- Midmorning (Terce) -
Come, Holy Spirit, Live in Us
- Midday (Sext) -
Lord God and Maker of All Things
- Mid-Afternoon (None) -
Eternal Father, Loving God

Liturgical Guide: Midday Prayer (Sext)

"About noon the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray." - Acts 10:9

The hymns selected for Midday Prayer (Sext) in the Divine Office reflect the hour's theme of battle with sin. The sun is at it's zenith; the heat of the day at it's strongest. Likewise, we too - caught up with the day's cares and the allurements of the world; feel and see most clearly the powers and influence of evil. It was from this time, the sixth hour (Noon) till 3PM that Our Savior hung upon the Cross with Hell bringing all it's forces to bear against him. For more information see: Daytime Prayer.

LITURGY OF THE HOURS (1975)
24. Help Us, O Lord
25. Lord of All Hopefullness
26. Lord of All Being, Throned Afar
27. Almighty Ruler, God of Truth

DIVINE OFFICE (1974)
Lord God and Maker of All Things
O Blessèd Lord, Creator God

ROMAN BREVIARY (1962)
Rector Potens Verax Deus

Almighty Ruler, God of Truth

Who Guide and Master All

Almighty Ruler, God of Truth was written by linguist, hymn-writer, poet, and preacher; Father Ralph Wright O.S.B. Still active, Father Wright is a Benedictine Monk at the St. Louis Abbey in Missouri. Almighty Ruler, God of Truth is set to the tune Ballerma by François H. Barthélémon (1741-1808). In the Liturgy of the Hours it is used during Ordinary Time for Daytime Midday Prayer. The following rendition featuring Jared Haselbarth is part of a 7 CD set of Hymns from the Liturgy of the Hours produced by the Classical Liberal Arts Academy.

Lord of All Being, Throned Afar

Your Glory Flames from Sun and Star.

Lord of All Being, Throned Afar was written in 1848 by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. (1809-1894). Son of a Congregational clergyman, Holmes was a well known and respected writer, lecturer, poet, physician, and academic of 19th century America. His son, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. sat on the Supreme Court of the United States. Lord of All Being, Throned Afar is set to the tune, Uffingham by British Hymnodist, Jeremiah Clarke (c.1659-1707). It can also be sung to the tune, Winchester New, as featured in the following video. In the Liturgy of the Hours it is used during Ordinary Time for Daytime Midday Prayer.


Tune: Winchester New

LORD OF ALL BEING, THRONED AFAR by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr., 1848 (Public Domain) 

Lord of all being, thronèd afar,
Thy glory flames from sun and star;
Center and soul of every sphere,
Yet to each loving heart how near!

Sun of our life, Thy quickening ray,
Sheds on our path the glow of day;
Star of our hope, Thy softened light
Cheers the long watches of the night.

Our midnight is Thy smile withdrawn;
Our noontide is Thy gracious dawn;
Our rainbow arch, Thy mercy’s sign;
All, save the clouds of sin, are Thine.

Lord of all life, below, above,
Whose light is truth, whose warmth is love,
Before Thy ever blazing throne
We ask no luster of our own.

Grant us Thy truth to make us free,
And kindling hearts that burn for Thee,
Till all Thy living altars claim
One holy light, one heavenly flame.

Lord of All Hopefullness

Lord of All Joy

Lord of All Hopefulness was written in 1929 by English born, Jan Struther, a pseudonym of Joyce Torrens (1901-1953). Struther was well known for her book, Mrs Miniver (1939). Lord of All Hopefulness was one of a dozen or so hymns she wrote. Although she attended church, she considered herself an agnostic. It is set to Slane, a traditional Irish melody. In the Liturgy of the Hours, Lord of All Hopefulness is used during Ordinary Time for Daytime Midday Prayer.

Help Us, O Lord

The Beauty of Your Ways.

Help Us, O Lord by American Methodist Pastor and Hymnodist, William Watkins Reid (b.1923) was first published in 1959 by the Hymn Society of America in Fifteen Christian Education Hymns. It is set to the tune Franconia, written by Johann Balthasar Konig (1691-1758) and first published in Choralbuch (1738). In the Liturgy of the Hours, Help Us, O Lord is used during Ordinary Time for Daytime Midday Prayer.

Tune: Franconia