Faith & Life / Nightly Prayers
Quick Summary
The church has always prayed at night, and many of the most important moments in the Christian story happened after dark. Shepherds kept watch by night when the angels appeared. Jesus prayed in Gethsemane at night. The disciples on the road to Emmaus begged him, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening" (Luke 24:29). "Yours is the day, yours also the night," the psalmist prayed. "You made summer and winter" (Psalm 74:16-17).
This page gives you a night prayer for every season of the church year, from Advent through Ordinary Time, and for the seasons of the calendar year: spring, summer, back to school, autumn, and winter. Each one pairs a verse of Scripture with a short reflection and a prayer to end the day. Find the season you are in and start there.
Praying the Seasons at Night
The Christian year walks through the life of Jesus every twelve months: waiting, birth, light, repentance, the cross, the empty tomb, the Spirit, and the long, ordinary middle where faith is lived day by day. Praying the seasons at night lets each day end inside that larger story. For a morning prayer for each season, see Morning Prayers for the Christian Year. For worship resources for each season, see Worship Resources.
Advent: Watching in the Night
Romans 13:12
"The night is far gone, the day is near."
Advent is the season of waiting, the four weeks before Christmas. Paul's words fit the long December nights perfectly. The darkness is real, and it is also nearly over. Christians wait for the coming of Christ at Christmas and for his coming again at the end of the age. Isaiah promised, "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light" (Isaiah 9:2). For Advent worship, see Advent Liturgy.
A Night Prayer for Advent
Lord Jesus, the nights are long and the world is dark. I wait for you. Come into the darkness of our world and the darkness of my heart. Teach me to wait with hope. As I fall asleep tonight, remind me that the night is far gone and the day is near. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Christmas: Keeping Watch by Night
Luke 2:8
"In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night."
The first Christmas announcement came at night, to working people on the night shift. God chose the dark hours and the least important people to hear the best news. For Christmas Eve, Christmas dinner, and Christmas night prayers, see Christmas Prayers.
A Night Prayer for the Christmas Season
God of Bethlehem, you came to shepherds in the night. Come to me tonight too. Thank you for Jesus, born in a stable, laid in a manger, and sent for people like me. Fill my heart with the angels' song: glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace. Amen.
Epiphany: Following the Star
Matthew 2:10-11
"When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage."
Epiphany, on January 6, remembers the wise men who followed a star by night to find Jesus. It celebrates Christ revealed to the whole world, beyond Israel to every nation. A clear winter night sky is a good reminder of the light that guided them. Read more in Who Were the Magi? and see Epiphany Liturgy.
A Night Prayer for Epiphany
Light of the nations, the wise men followed your star through the night until they found you. Guide me tonight as you guided them. Show yourself to the people I love who don't yet know you. Let me kneel before you with joy, and offer you my gifts. Amen.
Ash Wednesday: Returning to God
Joel 2:13
"Rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love."
Ash Wednesday begins Lent. Many Christians receive a cross of ashes on the forehead and hear the words, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return" (see Genesis 3:19). At night, as you wash the ashes away, remember the other half of the message: God is gracious and merciful. See Liturgy for Ash Wednesday.
A Night Prayer for Ash Wednesday
Gracious God, I am dust, and to dust I will return. Tonight I return to you with my whole heart. I confess what I have done and what I have left undone. [Name it.] You are slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Forgive me, and walk with me through these forty days. Amen.
Lent: A Clean Heart
Psalm 51:10
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me."
Lent is the forty days before Easter, a season of repentance, prayer, and fasting. Psalm 51 is David's prayer after the prophet Nathan confronted him about his sin with Bathsheba. It is one of the most honest prayers in the Bible, and a fitting one to pray before sleep during Lent. Read Nathan the Prophet, David, and Psalm 51 and see Lent and Easter Liturgy.
A Night Prayer for Lent
God of mercy, create in me a clean heart tonight. Look back over this day with me. Where I was selfish, forgive me. Where I was unkind, heal what I damaged. Put a new and right spirit within me. Let me wake tomorrow a little more like Jesus. Amen.
Holy Week: Watch and Pray
John 13:1 and Mark 14:38
"Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end." (John 13:1)
"Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Mark 14:38)
Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday and leads to Easter. On Maundy Thursday night, Jesus washed his disciples' feet, shared the Last Supper, and prayed in Gethsemane while his friends fell asleep. He asked them to stay awake with him. These night prayers are a way to keep watch with him. See Jesus and the Last Supper (Luke 22:7-23).
A Night Prayer for Holy Week
Lord Jesus, you loved your friends to the end, even as they failed you. On this holy night, I want to keep watch with you. Forgive me for the times I fell asleep when you asked me to pray. Thank you for loving me to the end. Keep me close to you this week, all the way to the cross and the empty tomb. Amen.
Good Friday: At the Cross
Isaiah 53:5
"But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed."
On Good Friday, "darkness came over the whole land" at midday (Luke 23:44). Jesus died for us. Good Friday night is one of the most solemn nights of the year. Many churches hold a Tenebrae service, putting out candles one by one until the sanctuary is dark. Read It Is Finished (John 19:30) and The Crucifixion of Jesus (Luke 23:33-43).
A Night Prayer for Good Friday
Lord Jesus, you were wounded for my sins and crushed for my wrongs. Tonight I sit in the darkness of the cross. I don't fully understand a love like this. Thank you. By your wounds I am healed. Hold me in this sacred night, and teach me to love as you loved. Amen.
Holy Saturday: Waiting at the Tomb
Psalm 30:5
"Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning."
Holy Saturday is the hushed day between the cross and the resurrection. Jesus' body lay in a sealed tomb (Matthew 27:66). His followers grieved, and they didn't know Sunday was coming. Many of us live in Holy Saturday seasons, waiting for God to act. This verse holds the promise.
A Night Prayer for Holy Saturday
God, tonight I wait at the tomb with Jesus' grieving friends. I know how the story ends, and still I remember what it is to wait in the dark. For everyone in a long night of grief, hold them. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. Let morning come. Amen.
Easter: Stay With Us
1 Corinthians 15:20 and Luke 24:29
"But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died." (1 Corinthians 15:20)
"Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over." (Luke 24:29)
On the evening of the first Easter, two disciples walked to Emmaus with a stranger. When evening came, they invited him in. In the breaking of the bread, they recognized the risen Jesus. Easter evening is a beautiful time to pray their prayer: stay with us. Read The Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35) and The Resurrection of Jesus (Luke 24:1-12).
A Night Prayer for Easter
Risen Lord, Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Thank you for the empty tomb and the hope it brings. Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening and the day is nearly over. Make yourself known to us as you did in Emmaus. Let me fall asleep tonight in resurrection hope. Amen.
Ascension Day: With Us Always
Mark 16:19 and Matthew 28:20
"So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God." (Mark 16:19)
"And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)
Forty days after Easter, Jesus ascended to the Father. The church marks Ascension Day on a Thursday in late spring. Jesus left his disciples' sight, and he kept his promise to be with them always. He reigns now, and he prays for us (Romans 8:34). Read When Did the Ascension Happen?
A Night Prayer for Ascension Day
Lord Jesus, you rule at the right hand of the Father, and you are with me always. Tonight I rest in your reign. Whatever is unsettled in the world and in my life, you are still Lord. Pray for me, and keep me in your care through the night. Amen.
Pentecost: Come, Holy Spirit
Acts 2:4 and Romans 8:26
"All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:4)
"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words." (Romans 8:26)
Pentecost, fifty days after Easter, celebrates the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit fell on the church in wind and fire. The same Spirit helps us pray when we are too tired to find words, which makes Romans 8:26 a perfect night prayer. Read When Did Pentecost Happen? and see Pentecost and Trinity Sunday Liturgy.
A Night Prayer for Pentecost
Come, Holy Spirit. Fill me tonight as you filled the church at Pentecost. I'm tired, and I don't always know how to pray. Pray in me with sighs too deep for words. Breathe your peace into this house. Kindle your fire in me again, and let me wake tomorrow ready to serve. Amen.
Ordinary Time: Faithful in the Everyday
Colossians 3:17
"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Ordinary Time is the longest season of the church year, the green weeks after Epiphany and after Pentecost. Its name comes from "ordinal," counted weeks, and it is where most of life happens: work, meals, errands, and bedtime. God is present in all of it. See Ordinary Time Liturgy.
A Night Prayer for Ordinary Time
Lord, today was an ordinary day. Thank you for meeting me in it. Thank you for the work I did, the meals I ate, and the people I saw. Forgive what I did poorly, and bless what I did well. Let every ordinary day be lived in your name, with thanks. Amen.
All Saints: The Cloud of Witnesses
Hebrews 12:1
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us."
All Saints' Day, November 1, remembers the faithful who have died. Many churches read the names of members who died during the year. It is a tender night to remember the people who taught you the faith. See All Saints Liturgy.
A Night Prayer for All Saints
God of the living and the dead, tonight I thank you for the saints who have gone before me. [Name them.] Thank you for their faith, their love, and their example. Surround me with their witness, and help me run my race with perseverance until I join them in your presence. Amen.
Night Prayers for the Seasons of the Year
"Yours is the day, yours also the night; you established the luminaries and the sun. You have fixed all the bounds of the earth; you made summer and winter." (Psalm 74:16-17)
God made the seasons, and each one teaches us something about him. These night prayers follow the calendar year.
Spring: New Life (2 Corinthians 5:17)
"For now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come" (Song of Solomon 2:11-12). Spring is the season of new life. Paul wrote, "So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!" (2 Corinthians 5:17). See Bible Verses About New Beginnings.
A Night Prayer for Spring
Creator God, thank you for longer days, budding trees, and the sound of birds at dusk. Bring new life to the places in me that feel like winter. Make me a new creation again. As I rest tonight, let my heart wake up to spring. Amen.
Summer Evenings: The Heavens Declare (Psalm 19:1)
"The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork." Long summer evenings invite us outside: porch sitting, fireflies, and stars. Psalm 19 is credited to David, who spent his youth keeping sheep under the open sky.
A Night Prayer for a Summer Evening
Lord, the heavens are telling your glory tonight. Thank you for warm evenings, long light, and the beauty of your creation. Slow me down enough to notice. Let me rest tonight as one small part of the world you made and love. Amen.
Summer Rest: Come Away (Mark 6:31)
"Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." Jesus said this to his tired disciples after a busy season of ministry. Summer is a good time to take him up on it. "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). See Bible Verses About Rest and Sabbath.
A Night Prayer for Summer Rest
Jesus, you invited your friends to come away and rest. I accept the invitation tonight. Bless this season of slower days, vacations, and time with family. Restore my body and soul. Teach me to rest without guilt and to return refreshed. Amen.
Back to School: Trust the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6)
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." The night before school starts is full of nerves for children, teens, parents, and teachers alike. For more school prayers, see Morning Prayers for Others.
A Night Prayer Before the First Day of School
Lord, tomorrow is a new school year. Calm every nervous heart in this house tonight. Give our children good friends, kind teachers, and courage to try new things. Bless every teacher getting ready tonight too. Help us trust you with all our hearts. Amen.
Autumn: A Time for Everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." Autumn is the season of harvest and letting go. The leaves fall, the nights grow longer, and the year begins to close. Isaiah reminds us, "The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever" (Isaiah 40:8). For harvest and gratitude prayers, see Thanksgiving Prayers.
A Night Prayer for Autumn
God of every season, thank you for the harvest of this year and the beauty of falling leaves. Teach me to let go of what needs to fall away. As the nights grow longer, help me trust that your word stands forever. Amen.
Winter Nights: Light in the Darkness (John 1:5)
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." Winter brings the longest nights of the year. For many people, those dark months are hard on the spirit. Christ is the light that darkness cannot put out. For prayers to end the year, see New Year Prayers.
A Night Prayer for a Winter Night
Light of the world, the nights are long and cold. Shine in the darkness tonight. Warm every home that is cold and every heart that is lonely. Keep safe those who have no shelter. Let your light, which the darkness cannot overcome, keep me through this winter night. Amen.
Night Prayers Through the Year for Children
Advent: Dear God, help me wait for Christmas with a happy heart. Amen.
Christmas: Thank you, Jesus, for being born for me. Amen.
Lent: God, help me say sorry and try again tomorrow. Amen.
Easter: Jesus is alive! Thank you, God. Amen.
Pentecost: Holy Spirit, fill me up with your love. Amen.
Summer: Thank you, God, for long days and the stars at night. Amen.
Winter: Jesus, you are my light when it's dark. Amen.
Keep Praying Through the Year
For a prayer to help you sleep on any night, see Prayer for Sleep. For more evening prayers, visit Nightly Prayers. For Holy Week and Easter preaching, see Holy Week and Easter Sermons.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a night prayer for Advent? Pray Romans 13:12: "The night is far gone, the day is near." Ask Jesus to come into the darkness of the world and your heart, and to teach you to wait with hope.
What is a good prayer for Good Friday night? Pray Isaiah 53:5 and thank Jesus for being wounded for your sins. Many churches hold a Tenebrae service on Good Friday, putting out candles until the sanctuary is dark.
What is a night prayer for Easter? Pray the Emmaus prayer from Luke 24:29: "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over." Ask the risen Jesus to make himself known to you.
What are the seasons of the Christian year? Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent (beginning on Ash Wednesday), Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost, and Ordinary Time.
Is there a Bible verse about the seasons? Yes. "Yours is the day, yours also the night... you made summer and winter" (Psalm 74:16-17) and "For everything there is a season" (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
What is Holy Saturday? The day between Good Friday and Easter, when Jesus' body lay in the tomb. It is a day of waiting, and Psalm 30:5 holds its promise: "Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning."
Works Consulted
Book of Common Worship. Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Westminster John Knox Press.
Webber, Robert E. Ancient-Future Time: Forming Spirituality Through the Christian Year. Baker Books.
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version.
