“Daniel Prayed”

Description

Daniel prays to God three times a day. Cast in the lions' den, the lions' jaws are locked. Listeners should follow his example. Chorus: "Old Daniel served the living God/While here upon this earth he trod...Daniel prayed every morning, noon and night"

Notes

Ralph Rinzler notes that Price, Howard & Watson refreshed their memory of this song from the shape-note hymnal "The Best of All," from whence comes the attribution to G. T. Speer and the date. - PJS

In Daniel 6, the (non-existent) king Darius the Mede ordered that no one pray to anyone but him for thirty days (an inconceivable order from the historical Darius I of Persia, who was a Zoroastrian monotheist, and hardly more likely from Cyrus the Great of Persia, who conquered Babylon, since he was religiously tolerant). In 6:13, we read that Daniel nonetheless prayed three times a day. The rest of chapter 6 explains the result. - RBW

Recordings

  • Fred Price, Clint Howard & Doc Watson, "Daniel Prayed" (on Ashley03, WatsonAshley01)
  • Stanley Brothers "Daniel Prayed" (on StanBros01)

References

  1. Roud #7692
  2. BI, RcDanlPr

About

Author: G. T. Speer
Earliest date: 1936 (composed)
Found in: US(SE)