A prayer you can pray right now
A Bedtime Prayer for the End of the Day
At the end of the day, when the house goes quiet and the lights go off, the mind can either replay every worry or rest in God. A bedtime prayer is a way of handing the day back to Him, the good and the hard and the unfinished, so you do not have to lie there holding it all. You do not have to tie up every loose end or fix every regret before you sleep. You can lay it down. Below is a bedtime prayer you can pray as your head hits the pillow, for yourself or with a child, to end the day in God's keeping.
“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”Psalm 4:8
“The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.”Psalm 121:7
“The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”Psalm 121:8
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”1 Peter 5:7
A prayer you can pray
Father, the day is over now, and I give it back to You, the parts that went well and the parts I wish I could redo. Thank You for carrying me through it. Forgive me where I fell short, and let me not carry today's regrets into my sleep. Quiet my mind, and take the worries I am tempted to lie here rehearsing. Watch over me and over the people I love through the night. Preserve my going out and my coming in. Thank You that I can lie down in peace and sleep, because You alone make me dwell in safety. Into Your hands I rest. In the name of Jesus, amen.
How to pray this
Pray this as you settle to sleep, and let it be permission to stop carrying the day. The Psalm is the perfect bedtime word: I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. Sleep itself is an act of trust, laying down your control and letting God keep watch while you cannot. Let Psalm one twenty-one guard your night: The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil, it says, and, in the next verse, The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in. And hand Him the worries deliberately, casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you, rather than replaying them in the dark. If anxious thoughts keep you awake, this prayer is a good companion, and there is more help for the nights when sleep will not come. You are allowed to rest; God does not sleep, so you can.
The One who hears this prayer
There is a beautiful picture in the Gospels of Jesus asleep in a boat during a storm, so at rest in His Father that even the waves did not wake Him. That is the kind of rest He offers you: not the absence of storms, but trust in the One who holds them. He invites the weary and heavy laden to come to Him and find rest, and that includes the rest of sleep. When you pray at bedtime, you are entrusting the night to the One who never sleeps and never stops watching over you. You can close your eyes because He does not have to.
Who is Jesus? · Begin with Jesus · Ask someone to pray with you
Questions people ask
What is a good simple bedtime prayer for a child?
Something short and warm: Thank You, God, for today. Thank You for my family. Please keep us safe tonight and help me sleep. Amen. You can add the names of people to bless. Praying with a child at bedtime, in simple, honest words, is one of the sweetest ways to teach them that God is near and can be trusted.
I lie awake worrying even after I pray. What helps?
Try handing God each specific worry by name rather than letting them swirl, as if setting them down one at a time. Return to a verse like I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep. If sleeplessness is a regular struggle, there is real help for the nights you cannot sleep, and it is worth addressing gently rather than fighting it in the dark.
Is it okay to fall asleep in the middle of praying?
Yes, and it is rather sweet. Falling asleep talking to God is like a child drifting off in a parent's arms; it is trust, not disrespect. God is not offended by your tiredness. Many people find that praying as they fall asleep is one of the most peaceful ways to end the day, unfinished sentences and all.