A short night prayer
Lord, thank You for today -- for the good, and for carrying me through the hard parts. Forgive me where I fell short.
Into Your hands I commit myself and everyone I love. Watch over us tonight, and give me peaceful sleep. Amen.
How to pray at the end of the day
Christians have prayed at bedtime for centuries, often by looking back over the day with God. This simple pattern takes five minutes or less.
Look back and give thanks
Run through your day and thank God for specific moments -- a conversation, a meal, a small kindness. Gratitude is a gentle way to close the day.
Be honest about what went wrong
Notice where you were impatient, unkind or dishonest, and tell God. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us" (1 John 1:9). You do not need to carry today's failures to bed.
Let go of anyone who hurt you
If someone wronged you today, bring it to God and ask for help releasing it. Ending the day without fresh resentment protects your heart and your sleep.
Hand tomorrow to God
Name the worries waiting for you in the morning, and leave them with Him. "He that keepeth thee will not slumber" (Psalm 121:3) -- you can rest because He does not.
Commit yourself into His hands
"Into thine hand I commit my spirit" (Psalm 31:5) has been prayed at night by Christians for centuries. It is a simple way to end the day in trust.
A night prayer to end the day
Lord, the day is done. Thank You for every good gift in it, seen and unseen. Forgive me for the moments I did not love You or others well.
I lay down today's worries and tomorrow's plans at Your feet. Guard my home and the people I love tonight, and let me wake refreshed to serve You. Amen.
A bedtime prayer for children
Dear God, thank You for today, for my family, and for everything fun I did.
Please forgive me for anything I did wrong. Keep me safe tonight, help me sleep well, and bless everyone I love. Amen.
A prayer when you cannot sleep
Lord, it is the middle of the night and I am wide awake. My body is tired but my mind will not rest.
I remember You on my bed and think of You in the night watches. Quiet my thoughts, relax my body, and let me rest in You, even if sleep is slow to come. Amen.
"I will both lay me down in peace": Psalm 4 as a prayer for the night
Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. ... I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:4, 8 (KJV)
Psalm 4 has been called an evening psalm, and Christians have used it in night prayers for centuries. David wrote it in a time of distress, with people speaking against him -- not on a peaceful evening.
"Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still" describes the quiet reflection many people do as they lie down. David invites us to use that moment well: to stop, be honest, and let anger and anxiety settle in God's presence rather than feeding them.
The psalm ends with trust: "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep." David did not wait until every problem was solved to rest. He slept because "thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety." His security rested in God, not in his circumstances.
That is what a night prayer does. It does not pretend tomorrow's problems are gone; it hands them over. As another psalm puts it, "he giveth his beloved sleep" (Psalm 127:2).
Would you like someone to pray with you tonight?
Nights can be the loneliest time to carry a worry. You can start a private voice call or chat at any hour. If a pastor is online, you are connected with them; if none is available, an AI prayer companion answers instead.
You might pray together about what is keeping you awake, and end with a prayer of peace before you try to sleep again.
Bible Verses to Hold On To
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
Psalm 121:3-4 (KJV)
It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
Psalm 127:2 (KJV)
When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
Psalm 63:6 (KJV)
Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
Psalm 31:5 (KJV)
Common Questions
Is there a traditional Christian night prayer?
Yes. Many churches have an evening service called Compline, which includes psalms such as Psalm 4, 91 and 134, and the prayer of Simeon: "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word" (Luke 2:29). You can use any of these as your own night prayer.
What should I pray when I cannot sleep?
Keep it short and gentle. Repeat a verse such as "When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches" (Psalm 63:6), or pray for others one by one. If worry is keeping you awake, see our prayers for anxiety.
How can I pray with my children at bedtime?
Keep it simple and consistent: thank God for one thing from the day, say sorry for anything that went wrong, and pray for people they love. Let them pray in their own words. Bedtime prayer is often where children first learn to talk to God.
Can someone pray with me tonight?
Yes. You can start a private voice call or chat on Pray with Christ at any hour, and your first call and chat are free. You are connected with a pastor when one is online, or an AI prayer companion when none is.
If you regularly struggle to sleep, please talk to a doctor -- ongoing insomnia can affect your health and mood, and help is available.
If you are in crisis, please contact local emergency services or a crisis hotline right away -- you can find a free helpline in your country. See also our Safety Notice.