Renew

Before you close your eyes

Night prayers for bedtime and evening.

The end of the day carries everything it held—what went well, what did not, and what is still unfinished. A night prayer is a way to hand it back to God before you sleep. Below are short prayers for the evening and bedtime, Bible verses to pray at night, and a simple way to close the day.

Prepared by Renew · Updated September 21, 2026 · Our editorial approach

Wind down with Renew Read the prayers

Short night prayers

Pray these slowly, or let them lead into your own words. A night prayer does not need to be long to be real.

A prayer to close the day

Lord, this day is nearly over, and I give it back to you—what I did well, what I got wrong, and what is still unfinished. Thank you for staying with me through all of it. Watch over me tonight, and let me rest in your care. Amen.

A prayer for an anxious night

Father, my mind will not slow down. Tomorrow’s worries keep arriving before today is done. I place them in your hands, because I cannot hold them tonight. Quiet my thoughts, calm my body, and let me sleep in peace, trusting that you never sleep. Amen.

A prayer of thanks for the day

God, before I sleep, I want to notice your kindness. Thank you for the moments I saw you today, and for the ones I missed. Where I hurt someone, forgive me; where I was hurt, help me let it go. Give me rest, and wake me ready to love you again. Amen.

A bedtime prayer for children

Dear God, thank you for today. Thank you for my family and my friends. Please keep us safe tonight while we sleep. Help me to be kind tomorrow. I love you. Amen.

A blessing over your home

Lord, bless this home and everyone in it tonight. Guard our rest, comfort whatever is hurting, and let your peace settle over every room. Keep us in your care until morning. Amen.

Bible verses to pray at night

These are from the King James Version. Keep one short line to repeat as you lie down.

Lying down in peace

“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8, KJV
“The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” Psalm 121:7–8, KJV
“Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.” Psalm 42:8, KJV

Evening prayer from the Psalms

Turning to God as the light fades is one of the oldest Christian habits, and these psalms have carried it for centuries.

“Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” Psalm 141:2, KJV
“Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.” Psalm 134:1–2, KJV
“Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.” Psalm 31:5, KJV

Letting go of the day

Ending the day honestly—confessing, forgiving, releasing—makes room for rest.

“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath...” Ephesians 4:26, KJV
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9, KJV

A blessing to end the day

“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word...” Luke 2:29, KJV
“The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” Numbers 6:24–26, KJV

A simple way to close the day

Christians have long ended the day by looking back over it with God—a practice often called the examen. It can take five minutes.

  1. Put the phone down first. Give the last minutes of the day to God instead of the feed.
  2. Look back with gratitude. Name one or two moments you are thankful for.
  3. Be honest about what went wrong. Confess it plainly, and receive forgiveness (1 John 1:9).
  4. Let go of tomorrow. Hand over what is unfinished. It will still be there in the morning, and so will God.
  5. Rest in one line of Scripture. “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep.” In Renew, choose how you feel and let a passage be read to you with the lights down.

What is Night Prayer, or Compline?

In many Christian traditions the last prayer of the day has a name: Night Prayer, or Compline. It is a short order of psalms, confession, and a closing blessing, prayed just before sleep. Psalm 4, Psalm 31:5, Psalm 134, and the Song of Simeon in Luke 2:29–32 are among its traditional texts, and several of them appear above. Its earlier companion, Evening Prayer (sometimes called Vespers), is prayed around sunset. You do not need a prayer book to borrow their shape: look back, confess, entrust yourself to God, and rest.

Renew is a faith and meditation tool, not medical care. If sleeplessness, anxiety, or low mood continue, please talk with a qualified health professional.

Questions people ask

Night prayer and bedtime

What is a good prayer to say before bed?

A good bedtime prayer is short and honest: thank God for the day, confess what went wrong, hand over what is unfinished, and ask for rest. The prayers above are simple places to start, and Psalm 4:8 is a classic line to end on.

What should I pray when I can’t sleep?

Keep it simple. Rather than reviewing tomorrow, return to one short line of Scripture—“Be still, and know that I am God,” or “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep”—and pray it slowly. If sleeplessness continues, talk with a health professional.

What is the difference between evening prayer and night prayer?

In the church’s traditional daily prayer, Evening Prayer (Vespers) is prayed around sunset and Night Prayer (Compline) just before sleep. In everyday use the words overlap: both mean turning to God as the day ends.

How can Renew help me pray at night?

Start from how you feel tonight and Renew offers a fitting passage of Scripture, read aloud slowly with calming sound, so you can end the day listening instead of scrolling. It is free to begin in guest mode.

Related Scripture guides

End the day in his hands.

Start with how you feel tonight. Renew will meet you with a fitting passage of Scripture and read it slowly with you.

Start free in guest mode