‘Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep’ and Other Bedtime Prayers

shutterstock.com

Praying before bedtime is a perfect way to end the day. Your mind is most impressionable right when you wake up in the morning and just before you fall asleep. Bedtime prayers are an excellent way to take advantage of your impressionability. Praying before bed helps you fall asleep with your mind fixed on God and His blessings.

There are many prayers one can say before bed. Some are very old and well-known, such as “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.” Others are not written down at all but created on the spot by the person praying. Prayers can be as precise or vague as you want. You may want to thank God for a specific event that occurred, such as getting home safely from traveling or that your child’s fever broke. Bedtime prayers are personal and can be adjusted to fit your specific needs.

You can also say a more general prayer of thanks or recite a prayer you have memorized. Such prayers are perfect for when there is not a single, unique event for which you want to thank God. Pre-written prayers are excellent for thanking God for all we have and all He has done for us. Here are five bedtime prayers to help you thank God for your day or ask forgiveness for your sins.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

“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.”

It is quite possible that you already know this well-known and very popular prayer. You may have said it yourself as a child. “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep” has been used for many years and hundreds of people recite it before going to sleep. Some find the mention of dying before waking to be a bit grim for directly before bed, especially for young children, but that has not stopped thousands of parents from passing this prayer on to their children. The prayer’s simple rhyme scheme and steady rhythm make it easy for young children to memorize, while the words are profound enough that many adults continue to use this prayer throughout their lives. Many people use only the first stanza when they pray but there are a large number who recite the whole prayer. Whether you wish to use only the first half or both stanzas is up to you.

Lord I Have Passed Another Day

shutterstock.com

“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.”

This is another prayer that is used by all ages. Young children will easily identify with the line that mentions ‘play,’ while adults are more likely to feel drawn to the idea of faults at work and earning their daily bread.

The alternating rhyme scheme makes this prayer a bit more challenging for children to learn when compared to “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.” “Lord, I Have Passed Another Day” will probably not be a child’s first prayer, unlike “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.” With the slightly more complex rhyme scheme this prayer is more likely to be taught when a child is a bit older.

That does not mean that you can’t use it as an adult. “Lord, I Have Passed Another Day” touches on topics that are important for adults to remember, too. The prayer gives thanks for our daily bread, friends and our safety. These are more adult concerns, and it is good to be thankful for them.

Father, Thank You for Today

“Father, Thank you for today, for all the ways in which I have known you…

For the sunrise and the birdsong,

For the music I’ve heard, and the things I’ve enjoyed,

For the meals, and for the cosy home I live in,

For my close family and for my special friends,

Most of all, thank you for being beside me through each moment.

May I dream good dreams and arise again tomorrow to thank you once more.

Amen.”

This classic prayer is easily modified to fit your own circumstances. If you don’t live in an area with many birds, or if it is winter, you can substitute something else for “birdsong.” If you live in the city, you may want to give thanks for the coffee you drank that morning or for an umbrella to keep you dry in the rain. In autumn, express your gratitude for the bright colors of the leaves; during winter, give thanks for a warm coat or a short commute.

Since “Father, Thank You for Today” is set up as a list, it is easy to teach to children. They need only remember the first, last and second to last lines. The rest they can fill in with the ways they knew God during the day. This list could include everything from a dog’s wagging tail to a friend sharing their toys. Be open to how your child finds God and the things for which they are thankful.

Forgive, O Lord

Shutterstock.com

“Forgive, O Lord, for Thy dear Son

The ill that I this day have done.

That with the world, myself, and Thee

I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.”

This prayer is less about giving thanks and more about asking for God’s forgiveness for the mistakes we make. While many of us prefer to go to bed thinking about the good things that happened during the day, we also need to take time to recognize where we went wrong.

”Forgive, O Lord” is also a good choice to end a bad day. If you are struggling to find things to be thankful for at night, you can still say a prayer before bed. Ask forgiveness for your sins with this short prayer and, when you go to sleep, be thankful that your sins are forgiven.

This is also a wonderful prayer to teach children. The language is somewhat old-fashioned, but the prayer has a steady rhythm and simple rhyme scheme. These, combined with its short length, make it easy for children to remember and recite before going to sleep.