Prayer before you go to sleep

Ending your day with prayer is a wonderful way to let go of stress and find peace before falling asleep. No matter what you faced today, talking to God through goodnight prayers will renew your faith. Evening prayer also helps you see all the good things that happened in your day that you have to be thankful for!

Share these nine bedtime and evening prayers with your children, spouse and friends so they too can fall asleep feeling blessed and thankful! 

Goodnight Prayer for Blessings

Bless us with rest tonight, Jesus, and a good night’s sleep. Forgive us for the things we did today that did not honor you. Thank you for loving us so much and that you know us through and through. We need your help every day, and we thank you for the strength you give and for helping us know that with you, even hard things are possible. Bless our family and our home, and keep us safe through the night. May your angels guard us and watch over us, just like you promised.

You’ve told us we are just like sheep. And that you lead us and guard us like a shepherd. You know our names, and you make us feel special and loved. When we hurt, you help us feel better. Thank you, Jesus, for your good care and for giving us to help. Thank you for the Bible, and for teaching us stuff in life that helps us grow. Bless the people in our world, and help them to know you love them, too. Thank you for all the people who help us so much: teachers, doctors, policeman, and fireman—and so many more.

Thank you for your good plan for our lives. Help us to obey you and love you more and more. When we awake in the morning, put a smile on our face and your purpose in our hearts, ready to start a new day. We love you, Jesus. Good night. In Jesus’s precious name, Amen. ~ ~ Rebecca Barlow Jordan

A Bedtime Prayer to Stop an Anxious Heart

Dear Lord, please help me trust You and empower me through Your Spirit to stop my emotions from bossing me around. I want to quit worrying about what might happen and focus on what has already happened by remembering and praising You for Your faithfulness in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. ~ Renee Swoop

Giving Thanks Evening Prayer

Dear God, we thank you tonight for the good day and for the special way you take care of us all the time. Thank you for the fun times outside and the quiet times inside, and for helping us learn new things every day.

Thank you for creating us special, exactly the way you wanted. Thank you for protecting us throughout the day. Forgive us for the wrong things we do. Thank you for loving us even when we disobey or try to do things our way. Help us to always choose your way, God, because it’s always best. We pray for all the people who don’t know you, and that they will come to understand your love for them, too.

Bless our family and thank you for good times together and apart. Bless our friends and those we love, including our grandparents, our aunts and uncles and cousins. Thank you for our home and a place to sleep and good food to eat. Help us rest well, give us peaceful dreams, and send your angels around our home to protect us throughout the night. Teach us to trust you and to love you more and more. You are good; you are great; and you are faithful, God. And we love you. Good night. In Jesus’s precious name, Amen. ~ Rebecca Barlow Jordan

A Short Night-time Prayer (2 Timothy 1:7)

For God’s not given me a spirit of fear, 
But a spirit of love, 
and of power, and a sound mind,
To live each day and glorify his name. 

Popular Child’s Bedtime Prayer, 18th Century

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.

Alternative Version for Children:
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
Watch and guard me through the night,
and wake me with the morning light.
Amen.

A Beautiful Prayer to End the Day

Heavenly Father, my day is drawing to an end, and I’m ready to turn in. But before I do, I have to thank you for your faithfulness today. It’s always a good day, even when things may not go the way I plan, or when the world seems in chaos, because you are in control.

For all the times when I was aware of your help today, all the times when your unseen presence seemed so near, thank you, God. But for all the ways you worked behind the scenes, unknown to me, moments when heaven-sent angels moved on my behalf in ways I’ll never know, thank you for those also, Lord.

Forgive me for any foolish actions on my part today or things I did without first asking your blessing or wisdom. Those are moments I’d rather forget, but I’m so grateful for your forgiveness when I ask. I never want to go to bed without clearing the air between us, Lord. Our friendship means too much, and your holiness deserves that. Thank you for loving me just as I am. Your love compels me to give you my all and fills my heart with praise for the relationship we share because of Jesus.

As I close my eyes tonight, I’m praying for loved ones around me, for friends and those who need to know you, Lord. I’m praying that your love, like the billions of stars in the night sky outside, will touch them and help them see who you really are. I pray for our world and those in it. I pray for their needs as well as my own.

Grant me a good night’s sleep tonight, God, so that I can awake refreshed and ready to begin another day loving you. Thank you again for blessings so undeserved and too numerous to count. I love being your child, and I long for the word “faithful” to describe my service to you, each day of every year. When I awake in the morning, may it be with a joyful smile, not a grumpy spirit. May your protection and your presence bathe this place with peace and safety against the enemy. Good night, Lord. In Jesus’s name, Amen. ~ Rebecca Barlow Jordan

Father, We Thank Thee

Father, we thank thee for the night,
And for the pleasant morning light;
For rest and food and loving care,
And all that makes the day so fair.
Help us to do the things we should,
To be to others kind and good;
In all we do, in work or play,
To grow more loving every day.
— Rebecca Weston – 1890

Bedtime Prayer (song by Twila Paris)

Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray dear Lord that you will keep
Your eyes upon this sleeping world
Every little boy and girl

Bless the children far away
The ones who don’t know how to pray
Those who are not feeling well
The little one the slipped and fell

Bless the puppy down the street
The neighbors I have yet to meet
Bless my mom and dad especially

Just one more thing I’d like to say
Before I close another day
I’d like to thank you Lord for all the ways
That You bless me

Bless the child whose home is torn
The babies who are not yet born
Bless the ones who take your word
To all the hearts that have not heard

Bless all your children everywhere
I hope they know how much you care
Maybe someday I can go
And tell them that You love them so

Bless Grandma and my Grandpa too
And all my friend and all they do
Bless every twig upon my family tree

Just one more thing I’ll say to you
I’m so amazed by all you do
I’ll thank you once again because it’s true
That you bless me

The Examen (Evening Reflection)

Written by St. Ignatius Loyola, the Examen is a daily process for prayerfully reflecting on your day. 

1. Remember God’s presence.
Even after a trying day, God will quiet your soul as you remember His presence and intentionally seek to enter into it. Remember He’s with you. Invite Him to make Himself present to you. 

2. Respond to Him with thanks.
Giving thanks gives God glory and helps us look on the bright side of a bad day. What small blessings can you thank God for?

3. Reflect on how God showed Himself to you.
God reveals himself through scripture, but we also see glimpses of him in nature, events, and people. Sometimes He shows up loudly through miraculous, divine intervention. Other times He shows Himself quietly through the beauty of a flower or an earnest conversation. As you look back over your day, can you identify moments where you sensed God’s revelation or intervention? 

4. Repent of your failings.
I don’t like recognizing my own sin, but repentance is key to continual renewal in our relationship with God.As you reflect on your day, remember specific points where you failed. Bring your shortcomings before God and ask Him to forgive you.  

5. Resolve to grow. 
God is in the business of changing us, so don’t let your failings discourage or define you. His mercies are always new. Accept His forgiveness. Ask Him for grace to change. Is there anything you need to make right or anyone you need to apologize to? What can you do differently tomorrow?

Do you have a favorite goodnight prayer you use at bedtime? One that your parents taught you or that you are teaching your children? Share it with our community in the comments below!

This article is part of our larger Prayers resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and God knows your heart even if you can’t find the words to pray.

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There’s no limit as to how many times we should pray in a day. There’s also no specific time required to pray to God. However, each and every one of us has his or her preferences when it comes to praying. At the end of the day, what matters most is that you were able to have a personal conversation with God.

Nonetheless, if you ask me, my favorite time to pray is before I sleep. Why? It allows me to look back on the day that has passed and it makes me reflect better. I pray about what happened, my worries, the challenges I overcame that day, how thankful I am and more importantly, how I look forward to better things the next day.

So today, I’d like to share with you 5 bedtime prayers that you and your family can share before sleeping. Here they are:

1. A Child’s Bedtime Prayer

This prayeris perfect for the little ones who are still learning about our Lord God. The prayer uses simple rhymes, which I’m sure your little one will master without a hitch.

A Child’s Bedtime Prayer

Now I lay me down to sleep.

 I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray to God my soul to take. If I should live for other days, I pray the Lord to guide my ways.

Father, unto thee I pray,

 Thou hast guarded me all day; Safe I am while in thy sight, Safely let me sleep tonight. Bless my friends, the whole world bless; Help me to learn helpfulness; Keep me every in thy sight; So to all I say good night.

2. A Short Protection Prayer

Evil things are everywhere which is why we must be persistent and consistent when it comes to asking God and his angels to protect our family. It is only through Himthat we can find comfort and peace of mind that we will indeed be safe and protected in God’s hands.

Through Him

Dear Lord,

The evening comes, the day is done. Let peace wash over my household throughout the dark of night and in the few still hours of the next morning. Wipe away our troubles. Cleanse us of worry and doubt. Through You, may Your magnificent good be our protection forever more.

Amen

3. A Family’s Prayer

One of the best feelings in the world is to pray together with your family, whether it’d be before meals, after bible study or before going to sleep. I’ve always believed in the saying that “a family that prays together, stays together.” There’s this extra special comfort you feel when you see each other professing faith and love to God all at the same time. Share this Good Night Prayer to your family tonight.

Good Night Prayer

Lord

You bless us as we rest
Restore us as we sleep
You care for us as we drift off
And make our dreaming sweet

You are the safest place
You are the God of Grace
Forgiven, loved and held by you
Is each small seed of faith

You know our thoughts and feelings
You see our deep desires
You understand our weariness
And catch each tear we cry

You walk beside us every day
You are a constant friend
You stay with us all through the night
On you we can depend

4. A Thankful Prayer

At the end of everyday, what we should never forget to do is thank God for all the blessings he has given us. Actually, we should also thank him for the not-so good things that happened because these things happen for a reason. I really like this Thankful Prayer and I hope your family will include this prayer in your prayer routine too.

Father, We Thank Thee

Father, we thank thee for the night,

And for the pleasant morning light;For rest and food and loving care,And all that makes the day so fair.

Help us to do the things we should,

To be to others kind and good;In all we do, in work or play,To grow more loving every day.

Rebecca Weston – 1890

5. A Prayer for Sleepless Nights

There are nights when we really can’t sleep. Our worries and anxious thoughts take over our minds and it makes our hearts restless. If you always experience this before going to bed, I suggest you try this prayer to calm your heart, mind and spirit. 

A PRAYER FOR WHEN I CAN’T SLEEP

Dear Father,

I can’t sleep.

I’m tossing and turning. Again.

I’m so thankful You never grow weary

And You never sleep.

I’m thankful that You are here with me right now,

Even when my mind won’t stop churning…

And my head won’t stop spinning.

Even when I know that worrying gets me nowhere

And my heart needs to rely on You.

I need You- the Good Shepherd-

Because counting sheep just doesn’t work.

Would you comfort my heart as only You can?

Will you rescue me from my own spiral of thoughts?

For I know that when I rest in You,

peace like a river overflows my soul and

I can praise You in advance for sweet rest.

Amen

When our day comes to an end, let’s not forget what really matters the most–praying to our Lord Jesus Christ. Let Him take away your worries, strengthen your heart to overcome troubles and encourage you to look forward to more purposeful days ahead. 

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By

John Callahan | Thursday, November 14, 2013

(Photo: Creative Commons/ FRERE; Pierre Edouard)

1. A Child’s Bedtime Prayer

Now I lay me down to sleep.

 I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray to God my soul to take. If I should live for other days, I pray the Lord to guide my ways.

Father, unto thee I pray,

 Thou hast guarded me all day; Safe I am while in thy sight, Safely let me sleep tonight. Bless my friends, the whole world bless; Help me to learn helpfulness; Keep me every in thy sight; So to all I say good night.

2. Now the Light has Gone Away

Now the light has gone away;

 Savior, listen while I pray. Asking Thee to watch and keep And to send me quiet sleep.

Jesus, Savior, wash away

 All that has been wrong to-day; Help me every day to be Good and gentle, more like Thee.

Let my near and dear ones be

 Always near and dear to Thee. O bring me and all I love To Thy happy home above.

3. Jesus, Tender Shepherd

Jesus, tender Shepherd, hear me:

 Bless Thy little child to-night; Through the darkness be Thou near me, Keep me safe till morning light.

All this day Thy hand has led me,

 And I thank Thee for Thy care; Thou hast warmed me, clothed me, fed me; Listen to my evening prayer.

May my sins be all forgiven;

 Bless the friends I love so well; Take me, Lord, at last to heaven. Happy there with Thee to dwell.

4. Lord, I have Passed Another Day

Lord, I have passed another day

 And come to thank Thee for Thy care. Forgive my faults in work or play And listen to my evening prayer. Thy favor gives me daily bread And friends, who all my wants supply: And safely now I rest my head, Preserved and guarded by Thine eye.

5. The Day is Done

The day is done;

 O God the Son, Look down upon Thy little one!

O Light of Light,

 Keep me this night, And shed round me Thy presence bright.

I need not fear

 If Thou art near; Thou art my Savior Kind and dear.

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