joseph addison wrote the prayer now i lay me down to sleep.
joseph addison wrote the prayer now i lay me down to sleep.
who wrote the prayer now i lay me down to sleep?
joseph addison
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.









































section::::text.









































perhaps the earliest version was written by joseph addison in an essay appearing in "the spectator" on 8 march 1711. it says: 









































poem









































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.









































/poem









































a later version printed in "the new england primer" goes: 









































poem









































now i lay me down to sleep,
now i lay me down to sleep
for the history of christian songs for children, see boys' choir § middle ages & early development, nativity play, and sunday school § development.









































section::::bedtime prayer.









































section::::bedtime prayer.:now i lay me down to sleep.









































poem









































original version









































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. amen









































more recent variants:









































now i lay me down to sleep,









































i pray the lord my soul to keep;









































guide me, jesus, through the night









































and wake me with the morning light









































amen
christian child's prayer