Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

Now I lay me down to sleep is a classic children's prayer from the 18th century. The version printed in The New England Primer goes:

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
If I shall die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.

The prayer features in Metallica's famous song 'Enter Sandman', Megadeth's song 'Go to Hell', rapper Seagram's song 'Peace To You', Snoop Dogg's 'Murder Was the Case', The Notorious B.I.G's (rapper) song Ready to Die, Phish's song, "Dog Stole Things", Green Jelly's song "Trippin' On XTC" , J. Cole's song "Rise & Shine" and also Kid Cudi's song 'The Prayer". Variations of the prayer have also appeared in many other songs by various artists, including American artist Sophie B. Hawkins' As I Lay Me Down, the Finnish band HIM's song 'Buried Alive By Love', Aloe Blacc's song Take Me Back, Cheryl Cole's song Promise This and Tupac Shakur's posthumous song, When Thugs Cry and OPM's song Heaven Is A Halfpipe. It is also featured in the Horror movie "The Haunting in Connecticut." and in the survival horror videogame Silent Hill 2 and in the movie adaptation of this game franchise.

In 2000 the WWF showed vignettes of a returning Undertaker by showing three girls in white clothing playing along and laughing while singing parts of the Itsy Bitsy Spider and later on announcing his return by chanting a variation of the song. It later on became part of The Undertaker's titantron and merged with his then entrance theme American Bad Ass by Kid Rock

Other versions

Thank you Lord for another day,
The chance to learn, the chance to play.
Now as I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
Please, guard me, Jesus, through the night,
And keep me safe till morning's light.
But should I die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.
And should I live for other days,
I pray that God will guide my ways.
Amen


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
Lord, be with me through the night
And keep me 'til the morning light.



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.
If I should live for other days,
I pray the Lord to guide my ways.


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
If I die before I wake,
I ask the Lord my soul to take.


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
When in the morning light I wake,
Teach me the path of love to take.


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray, Dear Lord, my soul to keep;
And if I die before I wake,
I pray, Dear Lord, my soul He'll take.


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
Guard me Jesus through the night,
And wake me with the morning light.


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
thy angels watch me through the night,
And keep me safe till morning's light.^[1]


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
If I die before I wake,
Bless me Lord my soul to take.^[1]


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
Keep me safe all through the night,
And wake me with the morning light.
AMEN

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
Angels watch me through the night,
And wake me with the morning light.^[2]
Amen


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray thee, Lord, my soul to keep;
Guide me safely through the night,
Wake me with the morning's light.


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray thee, Lord, my soul to keep;
See me safely through the night,
And wake me with the morning's light.


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
Guide me through the starry night,
Wake me when the sun shines bright,
For Jesus' sake. Amen.


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
Guide us through the starry night,
and wake us with the morning's light.
I ask not for myself alone,
but for thy children—every one.


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.


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
may angels watch me through the night
and wake me with the morning light"


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord, my soul to keep.
May angels watch me through the night,
And keep me in their blessed sight.


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
Thank you for another day,
A chance to learn, a chance to play
Amen


Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
See me safely through the night,
And wake me with the morning light.
Amen

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
May angels watch me through the night,
And keep me in their pleasant sight
Amen

Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
God bless those who are so dear
And thank you lord for all good cheer
Amen

Now I lay me down to sleep
And pray the lord my soul to keep
And if I die before I wake
I pray my family attend my wake

Now I lay me down to sleep
fourteen angels watch do keep
watch above me lord I pray
through the night till break of day

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
If I die before I wake,
I ask the Lord my soul to take. And if I shall wake i thank the lord for another day
Amen

See also

• Now I Lay Me, a short story by Ernest Hemmingway

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Debbie Trafton O'Neal; Nancy Munger (1994), Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep: Action Prayers, Poems, and Songs for Bedtime, Augsburg Books, p. 6, ISBN 9780806626024, http://books.google.com/?id=IOwi-B9IhKgC&pg=PA6 
2. ^ James Limburg (2006), Encountering Ecclesiastes: a book for our time, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, p. 103, ISBN 9780802830470, http://books.google.com/?id=O2qBfPnB4VAC&pg=PA103&dq=lay