Faith & Life / Nightly Prayers
Quick Summary
The Psalms have been the church's night prayers for as long as there has been a church. Monks sang them by candlelight before sleep. Jesus prayed a psalm with his last breath: "Into your hand I commit my spirit" (Psalm 31:5; Luke 23:46). Families still whisper Psalm 23 at bedsides. "It is good to give thanks to the LORD... to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night" (Psalm 92:1-2).
The Book of Psalms is not only the song book of God’s people, it is also the prayer book. Each psalm mentioned below helps us think of how God cares for us, and how our hope is indeed in the name of the Lord.
This page gives you night prayers from the Psalms, one psalm at a time. Each section pairs a psalm with a short reflection and a prayer to end the day. You'll find Psalm 23, Psalm 27, Psalm 31, Psalm 46, Psalm 63, Psalm 92, Psalm 121, Psalm 134, Psalm 139, and Psalm 141, plus two Gospel prayers for the night and a simple way to pray any psalm before you sleep.
Night Psalms at a Glance
| When You Need | Pray |
|---|---|
| Peaceful sleep | Psalm 4:8 |
| The Shepherd | Psalm 23 |
| Light in darkness | Psalm 27:1 |
| Surrender | Psalm 31:5 |
| Be still | Psalm 46:10 |
| On my bed | Psalm 63:6-8 |
| Faithfulness by night | Psalm 92:1-2 |
| Protection | Psalm 91 |
| God never sleeps | Psalm 121:3-4 |
| The night watch | Psalm 134 |
| Darkness is light | Psalm 139:11-12 |
| Evening offering | Psalm 141:2 |
Scripture references from the New Revised Standard Version.
Why Pray the Psalms at Night?
The Psalms are the Bible's prayer book. They give words for every feeling: fear, grief, gratitude, guilt, longing, and joy. When you are too tired to find your own words at the end of the day, the Psalms lend you theirs. It’s Divinely inspiried, but deeply grounded in human need.
The church has always prayed them at night. Compline, the last prayer service of the day in the monastic tradition, is built around a handful of evening psalms. Saint Benedict assigned Psalms 4, 91, and 134 to be sung every night before sleep. The Jewish bedtime prayers include Psalm 91 as well. For a morning companion to this page, see Morning Prayers From the Psalms. To learn more about the book itself, see Overview of Psalms and Who Wrote the Psalms?
Two of the best night psalms have their own pages. For Psalm 4:8, "I will both lie down and sleep in peace," see Prayer for Sleep. For Psalm 91, "You will not fear the terror of the night," see the Psalm 91 Prayer.
Psalm 23: The LORD Is My Shepherd
"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long." (Psalm 23:1-6)
Psalm 23 may be the most prayed psalm in the world, and it fits the night perfectly. A shepherd's work was hardest after dark, when wolves and thieves came. The good shepherd stayed awake so the sheep could rest. "He makes me lie down" is a picture of sheep so safe they can finally sleep.
Notice how the psalm turns personal in the middle. It begins by talking about God ("he leads me") and then, in the darkest valley, starts talking to him ("you are with me"). That is what night prayer often does. Read more in Yahweh Rohi, the LORD My Shepherd and The Good Shepherd Lays Down His Life (John 10:11).
A Psalm 23 Night Prayer
LORD, you are my shepherd. Tonight I have everything I need. Make me lie down in peace. Lead my restless thoughts beside still waters. Restore my soul after this long day. If I walk through a dark valley tonight, I will not be afraid, because you are with me. Let goodness and mercy follow me into sleep and into tomorrow. I am safe in your house. Amen.
Psalm 27: The LORD Is My Light
Psalm 27:1, 13-14
"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1)
"I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" (Psalm 27:13-14)
When the lights go out, Psalm 27 reminds us who our true light is. The psalm begins with confidence and ends with waiting. Some prayers aren't answered by morning. This psalm teaches you to wait in the dark with courage, believing you will see God's goodness.
A Psalm 27 Night Prayer
LORD, you are my light in this darkness. You are my salvation and the stronghold of my life. Whom should I fear tonight? I'm still waiting on you for [name it]. Give me courage to keep waiting. I believe I will see your goodness in the land of the living. Amen.
Psalm 31: Into Your Hand
Psalm 31:5
"Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God."
This is the bedtime prayer Jesus prayed on the cross. His last words were from this psalm: "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46). The verse is part of traditional Jewish prayers before sleep, and the church has sung it at Compline for centuries. Falling asleep is a small surrender, a daily practice for trusting God with everything.
A Psalm 31 Night Prayer
Faithful God, into your hand I commit my spirit tonight. I give you my body, my mind, my worries, and the people I love. You have redeemed me. Keep me while I sleep, and wake me to serve you tomorrow. Amen.
Psalm 46: Be Still
Psalm 46:1, 10
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)
"Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10)
Psalm 46 describes chaos: mountains shaking, waters roaring, nations in uproar. Then God speaks: be still. The Hebrew carries the sense of letting go, letting your hands drop. Bedtime is a good time to practice it. For more on this kind of rest, see Morning Prayers for Peace and Anxiety.
A Psalm 46 Night Prayer
God, you are my refuge and strength, present with me right now. The world is loud, and my mind is louder. I let go tonight. I drop what I've been holding. I am still, and I know that you are God. Amen.
Psalm 63: On My Bed
Psalm 63:6-8
"When I think of you on my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me."
David wrote this psalm in the wilderness of Judah (Psalm 63, title). Lying awake in a dry and dangerous place, he spent the night hours remembering God's help. "The watches of the night" were the shifts of the night guard. Instead of counting sheep, David counted God's faithfulness.
A Psalm 63 Night Prayer
God, as I lie on my bed tonight, I think of you. You have been my help today and every day before it. In the shadow of your wings I am safe. My soul clings to you. Hold me up with your right hand while I sleep. Amen.
Psalm 92: Your Faithfulness by Night
Psalm 92:1-2
"It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night."
Psalm 92 is titled "A Song for the Sabbath Day." It gives a rhythm for every day: begin with God's love in the morning, end with God's faithfulness at night. Looking back over the day and naming where God was faithful is a simple, powerful bedtime habit. For more, see Morning Prayers of Gratitude.
A Psalm 92 Night Prayer
O Most High, it is good to give thanks to you. You were faithful today. [Name where you saw it.] Thank you for every grace, large and small. I declare your faithfulness tonight, and I'll wake to praise your steadfast love in the morning. Amen.
Psalm 121: The LORD Who Keeps Watch
Psalm 121:3-4, 7-8
"He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep." (Psalm 121:3-4)
"The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore." (Psalm 121:7-8)
Pilgrims sang Psalm 121 on the road to Jerusalem. The promise at its center is perfect for night: God never sleeps. You can close your eyes because his never close. For morning prayers from this psalm, see Morning Prayers for Protection.
A Psalm 121 Night Prayer
LORD, you never slumber and you never sleep. So I can. Keep me tonight from all evil. Keep my life. Keep the people I love. You kept my going out this morning; keep my coming in tonight. Amen.
Psalm 134: The Night Watch
"Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD! Lift up your hands to the holy place, and bless the LORD. May the LORD, maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion." (Psalm 134:1-3)
Psalm 134 is the last of the Songs of Ascents and one of the traditional Compline psalms. It is a blessing for those who keep watch in God's house through the night. It is short enough to memorize and pray every night. For prayers for people who work through the night, see Night Prayers for Others.
A Psalm 134 Night Prayer
Maker of heaven and earth, I lift up my hands to bless you tonight. Bless everyone who keeps watch while I sleep. And bless me, Lord, as I rest. Amen.
Psalm 139: Even the Darkness Is Not Dark to You
Psalm 139:11-12, 23-24
"If I say, 'Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night,' even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you." (Psalm 139:11-12)
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24)
There is no darkness God cannot see through. Psalm 139 is a comfort for anyone afraid of the dark, and an invitation to honest self-examination at the end of the day. Ask God to search your heart, show you what needs to change, and lead you forward.
A Psalm 139 Night Prayer
God, the darkness is not dark to you. You see me clearly tonight. Search my heart. Know my anxious thoughts. Show me anything in me that needs your forgiveness. [Confess it.] Lead me in the way everlasting, tomorrow and always. Amen.
Psalm 141: An Evening Sacrifice
Psalm 141:2
"Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice."
In the temple, incense was offered every evening (Exodus 30:8). David asks that his prayer would rise to God like that fragrant smoke. For centuries, Psalm 141 has been sung at Vespers, the church's evening prayer service. Your simple bedtime prayer is an offering too.
A Psalm 141 Night Prayer
LORD, let my prayer rise to you like incense tonight. I lift my hands to you as an evening offering. Set a guard over my mouth tomorrow, and keep my heart turned toward you. Amen.
Two Gospel Prayers for the Night
Jesus' own words also make good night prayers.
John 14:27. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."
Lord Jesus, give me your peace tonight. Calm my troubled heart. Amen.
Matthew 11:28. "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."
Jesus, I'm weary. I'm coming to you. Give me rest. Amen.
How to Pray a Psalm Before Sleep
Choose one psalm. Use the table on this page, or work through them one night at a time.
Read it aloud slowly. The psalms were written to be spoken and sung.
Stop on one line. Notice which words catch you tonight.
Pray that line back to God. Make it personal: "You are my shepherd."
End with Psalm 31:5. "Into your hand I commit my spirit." Then sleep.
For more help with sleepless nights, see Prayer for Sleep. For heavy nights, see Night Prayers for Hard Times.
Night Psalm Prayers for Children
The LORD is my shepherd. He takes care of me tonight. Amen. (Psalm 23:1)
God never sleeps. He watches over me all night long. Amen. (Psalm 121:4)
Even the dark is not dark to you, God. Thank you for being with me. Amen. (Psalm 139:12)
Keep Praying
For more evening prayers, visit Nightly Prayers. For a night prayer for each season of the church year, see Night Prayers for the Christian Year. To learn how many psalms there are and who wrote them, see How Many Psalms Are in the Bible?
Frequently Asked Questions
What psalm is good to read at night? Psalm 4, Psalm 23, Psalm 91, Psalm 121, Psalm 134, and Psalm 139 are traditional night psalms. Psalm 4:8 is especially loved: "I will both lie down and sleep in peace."
What is a Psalm 23 prayer? Pray Psalm 23 slowly and make it personal: "LORD, you are my shepherd. Make me lie down in peace. Restore my soul. You are with me in the dark valley."
What psalm did Jesus pray on the cross? Jesus prayed Psalm 31:5, "Into your hand I commit my spirit," as his last words (Luke 23:46). He also prayed the opening of Psalm 22, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46).
What are the Compline psalms? In the Rule of Saint Benedict, Psalms 4, 91, and 134 are sung every night at Compline, the last prayer service of the day.
Which psalm says God never sleeps? Psalm 121:4: "He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep."
How do I pray the Psalms at night? Choose one psalm, read it aloud slowly, stop on the line that speaks to you, and pray it back to God in your own words.
Works Consulted
Brueggemann, Walter. The Message of the Psalms. Augsburg Fortress.
Peterson, Eugene H. Answering God: The Psalms as Tools for Prayer. HarperOne.
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version.
