The 5 a.m. prayer habit is old and very Christian. Monks have prayed before dawn for fifteen hundred years. For most people it simply means getting up before the house wakes and giving God the first quiet hour.
Historical Context
The Church’s morning prayer, Lauds, is traditionally prayed at dawn and begins, “O God, come to my assistance.” You don’t need a breviary to borrow the habit. A few quiet minutes with God before the phone comes on can change the whole day.
A 5AM Prayer
Lord, it’s early and the house is still asleep.
Before anyone needs anything from me, I’m here with you.
Thank you for this new day.
Show me what matters in it and what doesn’t.
Fill me up now, so I have something to give later.
Go ahead of me into every hour.
Amen.
A Very Short Early Morning Prayer
O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Amen.
These are the opening words of the Church’s daily prayer, from Psalm 70. They have been said at dawn by monks for centuries.
Before an Early Shift
Lord, I’m up before the sun to go to work.
Keep me awake on the road and safe on the job.
Bless my family while they sleep,
and bring me home to them tonight.
Amen.
Best Times for This Prayer
- At 5 a.m., or whenever you first wake.
- Before an early shift or a long drive.
- When starting a new habit of daily prayer.
- During Lent, as a morning discipline.
Scripture Connection
“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee.” — Psalm 63:1
David wrote this in the wilderness of Judah, probably on the run. “Early will I seek thee” was not a productivity tip; it was the first thing a thirsty man reached for.
Related prayers
For more morning prayers, see the Psalm Morning Prayer and the Morning Prayer for Kids. To begin the week, the Monday Prayer.