The times of the days laid out according to scripture and it is at these times that it is set for us to pray. As it is written in M'r:13:35: "Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:"

-Originally divided into three watches

(La 2:19; Jud 7:19; Ex 14:24)

-Divided into four watches by the Romans

(Lu 12:38; Mt 14:25; Mr 13:35)

Watches

the periods into which the time between sunset and sunrise was divided. They are so called because watchmen relieved each other at each of these periods. There are frequent references in Scripture to the duties of watchmen who were appointed to give notice of the approach of an enemy (2 Sam. 18:24-27; 2 Kings 9:17-20; Isa. 21:5-9). They were sometimes placed for this purpose on watch-towers (2 Kings 17:9; 18:8). Ministers or teachers are also spoken of under this title (Jer. 6:17; Ezek. 33:2-9; Heb. 13:17).

The watches of the night were originally three in number, (1) "the beginning of the watches" (Lam. 2:19); (2) "the middle watch" (Judg. 7:19); and (3) "the morning watch" (Ex. 14:24; 1 Sam. 11:11), which extended from two o'clock to sunrise. But in the New Testament we read of four watches, a division probably introduced by the Romans (Matt. 14:25; Mark 6:48; Luke 12:38).

Day

The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Lev. 23:32). It was originally divided into three parts (Ps. 55:17). "The heat of the day" (1 Sam. 11:11; Neh. 7:3) was at our nine o'clock, and "the cool of the day" just before sunset (Gen. 3:8). Before the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1) from sunset to midnight (Lam. 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Judg. 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex. 14:24). In the New Testament the division of the Greeks and Romans into four watches was adopted (Mark 13:35).

The division of the day by hours is first mentioned in Dan. 3:5, 15; 4:19; 5:5. This mode of reckoning was borrowed from the Chaldeans. The reckoning of twelve hours was from sunrise to sunset, and accordingly the hours were of variable length (John 11:9). The word "day" sometimes signifies an indefinite time (Gen. 2:4; Isa. 22:5; Heb. 3:8, etc.). In Job 3:1 it denotes a birthday, and in Isa. 2:12, Acts 17:31, and 2 Tim. 1:18, the great day of final judgment.

DAWNING

Jos:6:15: And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.

J'g:19:26: Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.

Job:3:9: Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:

Job:7:4: When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

Psalms:119:147: I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.

M'r:13:35: Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning 

MORNING

Ex:29:39: The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:

Ex:29:41: And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Ex:30:7: And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.

Nu:28:4: The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even;

1Sa:1:19: And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.

1Ch:16:40: To offer burnt offerings unto the LORD upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which he commanded Israel;

1Ch:23:30: And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even;

2Ch:2:4: Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.

2Ch:13:11: And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him.

2Ch:31:3: He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the LORD.

Ezr:3:3: And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening.

Job:7:18: And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?

Psalms:5:3: My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Psalms:55:17: Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

Psalms:59:16: But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.

Psalms:88:13: But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.

Psalms:92:2: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,

Psalms:143:8: Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

Ec:10:16: Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

Isa:50:4: The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

Jer:21:12: O house of David, thus saith the LORD; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

Eze:33:22: Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.

Eze:46:13: Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt offering unto the LORD of a lamb of the first year without blemish: thou shalt prepare it every morning. Eze:46:14: And thou shalt prepare a meat offering for it every morning, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of an hin of oil, to temper with the fine flour; a meat offering continually by a perpetual ordinance unto the LORD. Eze:46:15: Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meat offering, and the oil, every morning for a continual burnt offering.

Ho:6:3: Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

Am:4:13: For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.

Zep:3:5: The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.

M'r:13:35: Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

M'r:16:2: And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

Lu:21:38: And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

Joh:8:2: And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

The second part of the day at the creation

(Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31)

- The first part of the natural day

(Mr 16:2)

-Ordained by God

(Job 38:12)

-Began with first dawn

(1Ki. 18:26; Neh. 8:3)

-First dawning of, called the eyelids of the morning

(Job 3:9; 41:18)

-The outgoings of, made to rejoice

(Ps 65:8)

-The Jews

Generally rose early in

(Gen. 28:18; Jud 6:28)

Went to the temple in

(Lu 21:38; Joh. 8:2)

Offered a part of the daily sacrifice in

(Ex 29:38, 39; Nu 28:4-7)

Devoted a part of, to prayer and praise

(Ps. 5:3; 59:16; 88:13)

Gathered the manna in

(Ex 16:21)

Began their journeys in

(Gen. 22:3;)

Held courts of justice in

(Jer. 21:12; Mt. 27:1)

Contracted covenants in

(Gen. 26:31)

Transacted business in

(Ec. 11:6; Mt. 20:1)

-Was frequently cloudless

(2Sam. 23:4)

-A red sky in, a sign of bad weather

(Mt. 16:3)

-Ushered in by the morning star

(Job 38:7)

-Illustrative

Of the resurrection day

(Ps. 49:14)

(Breaking forth) of the glory of the church

(Song 6:10; Isa 58:8)

(Star of morning) of the glory of Christ

(Rev. 22:16)

(Star of morning,) of reward of saints

(Rev. 2:28)

(Clouds in morning,) of the short lived profession of hypocrites

(Hos. 6:4)

(Wings of,) of rapid movements

(Ps 139:9)

(Spread upon the mountains) of heavy calamities

(Joel: 2:2)

NOON

Psalms:37:6: And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

Psalms:55:17: Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

Ac:22:6: And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.

Isa:16:3: Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth.

EVENING

Ex:29:39: The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:

Ex:29:41: And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Nu:28:4: The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even;

1Ch:16:40: To offer burnt offerings unto the LORD upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which he commanded Israel;

1Ch:23:30: And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even;

2Ch:2:4: Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.

2Ch:13:11: And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him.

2Ch:31:3: He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the LORD.

Ezr:3:3: And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening.

Psalms:55:17: Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

Psalms:65:8: They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.

Psalms:90:6: In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.

Psalms:104:23: Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

Psalms:141:2: Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Proverb:7:9: In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:

1Ki:17:6: And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

1Ki:18:29: And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

1Ki:18:36: And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

Ezr:9:4: Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.

Ezr:9:5: And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God.

Da:8:26: And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.

Da:9:21: Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.

Zec:14:7: But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.

M't:14:23: And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

M'r:1:32: And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.

M'r:13:35: Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

Lu:24:29: But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

Joh:20:19: Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

-The darkness first called

(Gen 1:5)

-Caused by God

(Ps 104:20)

-Belongs to God

(Ps 74:16)

-The heavenly bodies designed to separate day from

(Gen 1:14)

-The moon and stars designed to rule and give light by

(Gen 1:16-18; Jer. 31:35)

-Commenced at sunset

(Gen. 28:11)

-Continued until sunrise

(Ps. 104:22; Mt 28:1; Mr 16:2)

-Regular Succession of

Established by covenant

(Gen. 8:22; Jer. 33:20)

Ordained for the glory of God

(Ps 19:2)

-Originally divided into three watches

(Lam. 2:19; Judg 7:19; Ex 14:24)

-Divided into four watches by the Romans

(Luke 12:38; Mt 14:25; Mr 13:35)

-Frequently

Exceeding dark

(Pr 7:9)

Cold and frosty

(Gen 31:40; Jer. 36:30)

Accompanied by heavy dew

(Num 11:9; Judg 6:38, 6:40; Job 29:19; Song 5:2)

-Unsuitable for labour

(John 9:4)

-Unsuitable for travelling

(John 11:10)

-Designed for rest

(Ps 104:23)

-Wearisome to the afflicted

(Job 7:3-4)

-Favourable to the purposes of the wicked

(Gen 31:39; Job 24:14-15; Ob 1:5; 1Th 5:2)

-Wild beasts go forth in search of prey during

(2Sa 21:10; Ps 104:21-22)

-The Jews

Forbidden to keep the wages of servants during

(Lev 19:13)

Forbidden to allow malefactors to hang during

(Deut. 21:23)

In affliction spent, in sorrow and humiliation

(Ps 6:6; 30:5; Joel 1:13)

In affliction spent, in prayer

(Ps 22:2)

Often kept lamps burning during

(Pr. 31:18)

-Eastern shepherds watches over their flocks during

(Gen 31:40; Luke 2:8)

-Eastern fishermen continued their employment during

(Luke 5:5; John 21:3)

-GOD Frequently

Revealed his will in

(Gen 31:24; 46:2; Num 22:30; Dan 7:2)

Visited his people in

(1Ki 3:5; Ps 17:3)

Executed his judgments in

(Ex 12:12; 2Ki 19:35; Job 27:20; Dan 5:30)

-Illustrative of

Spiritual darkness

(Roman 13:12)

Seasons of severe calamities

(Isa 21:12; Am 5:8)

Seasons of spiritual desertion

(Song 3:1)

Death

(John 9:4)

M't:14:25: And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

M't:26:34: Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

Lu:2:8: And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Lu:2:37: And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

Lu:6:12: And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Joh:9:4: I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

1Th:5:7: For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

1Tm:5:5: Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

2Tm:1:3: I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

MIDNIGHT

Ex:11:4: And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:

Ex:12:29: And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.

J'g:16:3: And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.

Ru:3:8: And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

1Ki:3:20: And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.

Job:34:20: In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.

Psalms:119:62: At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.

M't:25:6: And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

M'r:13:35: Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

Lu:11:5: And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

Ac:16:25: And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Ac:20:7: And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

Ac:27:27: But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;