Prayer library
A Prayer for Sleep (When You Can't Rest)
When sleep will not come and your mind will not quiet, this is a prayer to lay the night down and rest in God's care.
Lord, my mind will not be still, and rest will not come.
Quiet my racing thoughts and unclench my hands.
I give You everything I am carrying into tomorrow.
Watch over me and mine through the night.
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You keep me safe. Amen.
“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”
Psalm 4:8
You don’t have to pray alone
On The Living Bread you can ask the family of God to pray for you and watch prayers be answered, or pray for someone else who needs it today. It is free, and you are welcome exactly as you are.
This prayer at a glance
| Prayer for | For Sleep |
|---|---|
| Lines to pray | 5 |
| Anchored in | Psalm 4:8 |
| Time to pray it | about a minute, slowly |
| Related prayers | 3 |
Questions people ask
What Scripture is a prayer for sleep (when you can't rest) built on?
It rests on Psalm 4:8. The prayer above is written in plain words around that passage, and the verse is quoted from the stored text, not from memory.
What if I have no words to pray for sleep (when you can't rest)?
Start with the first line of the prayer above and stop there if that is all you can say. God hears the first honest sentence. You can also ask the family of God on The Living Bread to pray with you and for you.
Can I pray this for someone else?
Yes. Change the first person to their name and pray the same lines for them. Praying for others is part of loving one another, and you can ask the family of God to join you.
Pray this
Lord Christ, you love the people of For Sleep more than we can. We bring you sleep, the night, anxiety. Make us people who love one another there. In the name of Jesus, amen.
Live this
Take one step this week.
- Pray the lines above once today, out loud if you can, and read Psalm 4:8 in your own Bible.
- Tell one trusted person that you are praying about sleep, and ask them to pray with you.
- Write down one thing you notice this week, so that you can thank God by name when it comes.
Where this fits in the walk with Christ
Christ meets people in a place, and then walks on with them. Here are doors that walk on.
