The early Christians, following Jewish tradition, prayed the psalms daily. St. Benedict, in the early 6th Century, explained in his Holy Rule how his monks were to daily pray the psalms. Benedictine monks have continued this practice to the present day.

Many lay people, especially Benedictine Oblates, make the psalms a part of their daily prayers. Pray the psalms at Lauds (morning prayer) at 6:45 am; Day Prayer at the beginning of midday Mass; Vespers (evening prayer), sung at 5:00 pm; and Vigils (prayer preparing for the following day) at 7:30 pm.

The psalms and canticles (other songs from the Bible), and accompanying prayers change according to the season and the day.

Lauds (morning prayer) begins with an Invitatory which is a formal invitation to prayer.

Each psalm and canticle begins and ends with an Antiphon (abbreviated ANT) which is a theme taken from the psalm for reflection.