Da pacem Domine (Give peace, Lord) is the incipit of two different Latin chant texts: a votive antiphon and an introit. Both have been the base for musical compositions to be used inside or outside the liturgy. Paraphrased versions of the text were created by Martin Luther in German in 1529, "Verleih uns Frieden", also set by several composers. In English, the first of these texts entered the Book of Common Prayer as one of the preces at Morning and Evening Prayer (Evensong).
The inscription "Da pacem Domine" appears beside the figure of an angel playing on lute, on the so-called Jankovich saddle (c. 1408-1420), attributed to King Sigismund of Hungary.
A translation of the antiphon entered the Book of Common Prayer[1][3] as part of the preces at Morning and Evening Prayer (also known as Mattins and Evensong). The preces, also known as suffrages, are prayers in call-and-response format. Choral settings of these services, including this text, have been set my many composers, often titled Preces and Responses.
Priest. Give peace in our time, O Lord. Answer. Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.[4]
The similar phrase Peace for our time has also been used in political contexts.
The introit
A different text with the same first line is the introit for the Pentecost XVIII, based on Sirach 36:18 and Psalms 122:1 (Psalm 121 in the Vulgate). The text is as follows:
Da pacem, Domine, sustinentibus te ut prophetae tui
fideles inveniantur: exaudi preces servi tui et plebis tuae Israël. V. Laetatus sum in his, quae dicta sunt mihi in domum Domini ibimus.[5]