Is the “Now I lay me down to sleep prayer” in the Bible?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The “Now I lay me down to sleep” prayer isn’t biblical because God’s Word touches on our salvation’s security, which somewhat conflicts with this rhyme. According to Ephesians 1:13-14, our souls' salvation is secured by Jesus and sealed by the Holy Spirit from the moment of belief. We need not ask God to “keep” or “take” our souls. They are His already. Teaching young and old to memorize the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13) is better. It covers how we should approach God in prayer and presents a structure that we can apply to our personal communication with God. Ultimately, Jesus has proven Himself to be faithful to us, and because of His faithfulness, we can know for certain that our salvation is secure (Hebrews 10:19-23).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The “Now I lay me down to sleep prayer” is not addressed in the Old Testament.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus provides a model prayer that is often and easily memorized: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." This is great to teach children as it conveys the proper way to address God through prayer.
• The poem implies a lack of assurance about where our souls will go when we die. However, Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us plainly how the salvation of our souls is secured in Christ Jesus: "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."
• While the poem is a common prayer, It’s best not to use it since it could cause confusion about the biblical view of salvation. Hebrews 10:19–23 says: "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." Since believers are fully secure in their salvation, we should live in alignment with that beautiful truth.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

The well-known prayer goes as follows:

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep,

If I should die before I wake,

I pray the Lord my soul to take.

Teaching children poems like the one above by rote memorization is a long-held tradition, is still used in some forms today, and is often effective. Charlotte Mason, a 19th Century British educator and author, called recitation "the fine art of beautiful and perfect speaking" (Charlotte Mason, Home Education, "Recitation: The Children's Art," p. 223). And certainly this is how children often learn—through repetition and rhyme.

However, we should be careful to ensure our prayers are biblical. This is especially important for children since they are far more impressionable than adults. Since this particular children’s poem is not the most biblically sound, we are better off teaching our children the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13. Ultimately, God has proven time and time again that His promises are kept and He is faithful to do all He says, including keeping our souls until the day we are fully united with Him in heaven. This is an incredible truth we should cling to as believers.

UNDERSTAND

• The “Now I lay me down to sleep prayer” is not in the Bible.
• This common children’s prayer, though seemingly harmless, implies an anti-biblical idea of salvation.
• A better prayer to teach and memorize is the Lord’s Prayer of Matthew 6:9-13.

REFLECT

• If you used the “Now I lay me down to sleep” prayer or other children’s prayer as a child, how did reciting it impact your view of your salvation?
• If you pray the Lord’s Prayer, how do you ensure that you don’t lose heartfelt meaning in the repeating of it?
• How does the assurance of salvation impact how you pray?

ENGAGE

• What are some advantages to praying memorized prayers? What are some disadvantages?
• What are some methods to ensure children are taught to pray properly?
• How can we ensure children in the church understand the security a saved person has in Christ?