Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

Now I lay me down to sleep is a classic children's bedtime prayer from the 18th century.

Lyrics

Perhaps the earliest version was written by Joseph Addison in an essay appearing in The Spectator on March 8, 1711. It says:

When I lay me down to Sleep,
I recommend my self to his care;
when I awake, I give my self up to his Direction.

A later 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. Amen.

Other versions

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
His Love to guard me through the night,
And wake me in the morning's light.[1]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference onealmunger was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference onealmunger was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference onealmunger was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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.
 Amen[1]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference limburg was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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.
 Amen

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

(Additional third verse)
If I should live another day
I pray the Lord to guide my way.
Amen

Use in popular culture

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep - Infant Remembrance Photography Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Infant Remembrance Photography] is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization that offers complimentary remembrance photography to families suffering the death of an infant.

  • Frankie Knuckles and Jamie Principle open their classic Chicago House track "Baby Wants to Ride" with the first part of this prayer.[1]
  • Sky Ferreira paraphrases the lyric as "and laid awake,/Pray the Lord my soul to take" in her song "Sad Dream"[2]
  • Kid Cudi paraphrases the lyric as "And if I die before I wake,/I pray the Lord my soul to take" in his song "The Prayer"[3]
  • Metallica paraphrases the lyric as "Now I lay me down to sleep/I pray the lord my soul to keep/And if I die before I wake/Pray the lord my soul to take" in their song "Enter Sandman"[4]
  • Megadeth paraphrases the lyric as "And if I die before I wake/Pray the lord my soul to take" in their song "Go To Hell"[5]
  • Aloe Blacc paraphrases the lyric as " And Now I lay me down to sleep/I pray the Lord my soul to keep/And if I die before I wake/there must be a mistake, Lord take me back" in his song "Take Me Back"[6]
  • TobyMac paraphrases the lyric as "If I should die before I wake/I pray the Lord my soul to take/And if I should get a peaceful sleep/I wanna wake at my Father's feet" in his song "Captured"[7]
  • The Civil Wars paraphrase the lyric as "Still can't lay me down to sleep/If I die before I wake/I know the Lord my soul won't take" in their song Barton Hollow.[8]
  • In the 1984 slasher movie A Nightmare on Elm Street Nancy Thompson, played by Heather Langenkamp, cites the prayer before she goes to sleep to confront her enemy Freddy Krueger in her dreams.
  • A little girl recites the prayer to keep herself safe from the monster she sees in the 1986 slasher movie Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives.
  • Sir Psycho Sexy by Red Hot Chili Peppers uses an alternate version of the rhyme.[9]
  • Christina Aguilera paraphrases the lyrics as "Now I lay me down to sleep/I pray we'll meet inside my dreams/If I should go before I wake/I pray our souls will join again" in her song "Little Dreamer". [10]
  • In Michael Grant's book, "Plague", Dekka recites this prayer with Hunter in his last moments before Sam euthanises him with a deadly beam of light because of the "greenies", parasites which were eating Hunter alive.
  • Snoop Dogg samples the whole prayer in his song "Murder Was the Case" from his debut album, Doggystyle.[11]
  • HIM paraphrases the lyrics with some different words in their song "Buried Alive By Love, "If I should die before I wake/Pray no one my soul to take/If I wake before I die,/Rescue me with your smile" from their album Love Metal.[12]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhO_9KFIkyY
  2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dyeFalOjw0
  3. ↑ http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-prayer-lyrics-kid-cudi.html
  4. ↑ http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Enter-Sandman-lyrics-Metallica/5B3C694CC218EF954825688D0033D39F
  5. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7pqj8Be8kU
  6. ↑ http://www.songlyrics.com/aloe-blacc/take-me-back-lyrics/
  7. ↑ http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Captured-lyrics-tobyMac/0CA22C6052A00C21482576CD0019A08B
  8. ↑ http://www.metrolyrics.com/barton-hollow-lyrics-the-civil-wars.html
  9. ↑ http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/40746/
  10. ↑ http://www.metrolyrics.com/little-dreamer-lyrics-christina-aguilera.html
  11. ↑ http://rap.genius.com/192368
  12. ↑ http://www.metrolyrics.com/buried-alive-by-love-lyrics-him.html
  13. ↑ 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 978-0-8066-2602-4
  14. ↑ James Limburg (2006), Encountering Ecclesiastes: a book for our time, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, p. 103, ISBN 978-0-8028-3047-0