Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

“Now I lay me down to sleep” is a classic children’s bedtime prayer from the 18th Century. It may have derived from the 1698 book, The Protestant Monastery by Sir George Wheeler, which reads:

“Upon lying down, and going to ſleep.”

Here I lay me down to ſleep.
To thee, O Lord, I give my Soul to keep,
Wake I ever, Or, Wake I never;
To thee O Lord, I give my Soul to keep for ever.

This children’s prayer can be found throughout history and in various popular culture:

American Singer, Halsey in her song Nightmare.

Rapper XXXTentacion uses this prayer in his song “Before I Close My Eyes”

Heavy Metal Band, Metallica in their song “Enter the Sandman”

Thrash Metal Band, Megadeth uses this prayer in their song, “Go to Hell”

Rapper Kid Cudi uses this prayer in their song “The Prayer”

And Rachel Vincent‘s book, Soul Screamers series uses deviations of this children’s prayer.