The 'lay' form is octosyllabic medieval poetry, from six to sixteen lines
His days were hard, his nights were long The Psalmist woke, six hours 'fore dawn Awakened by a breeze so slight His chamber still bereft of light Some scoff he rose the lyre to play The record shows he stood and prayed ********** Notes: The Psalmist is King David The record is the Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Brochos (Blessings), pages 3a & 3b The lyre functioned as David's alarm clock, its strings stirred by the breeze that arises in Israel at midnight David formulated a long prayer service, known as Tikkun Chatzos, loosely translated as 'Midnight Prayers,' which pious Jews still perform today
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