Ideas

Evening Prayer

Quotations to stir heart and mind.

MY HELP comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.Psalm 121:2-4

KEEP WATCH, dear Lord, with those who work or watch or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ, give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous—and all for your love’s sake. Amen.Attributed to Augustine, Book of Common Prayer

I AM PLACING my soul and my body in Thy safe keeping this night, O God, in Thy safe keeping, O Jesus Christ, in Thy safe keeping, O Spirit of perfect truth. The Three who would defend my cause by keeping me this night from harm.Celtic Daily Prayer: Prayers and Reading from the Northumbria Community

“HOW WAS YOUR DAY?” … A mother I know has a different way of asking the same question. As she tucks her children into bed each night, … she asks them a question: “Where did you meet God today?” And they tell her, one by one: A teacher helped me; there was a homeless person in the park; I saw a tree with lots of flowers in it. She tells them where she met God, too. Before the children drop off to sleep, the stuff of the day has become the substance of their prayer.Dorothy C. Bass, Receiving the Day

VOLUNTARY SLEEP requires a confidence that life is cared for when our ego is asleep at the wheel. The more we believe that life is safe and real only when we’re awake and guarding and acting, the harder it is for us to let go into sleep.Tilden Edwards, Living Simply Through the Day

MAY [GOD] SUPPORT US all the day long, till the shadows lengthen and the evening comes and the busy world is hushed and the fever of life is over and our work is done— then in his mercy— may he give us a safe lodging and a holy rest and peace at the last. Amen.Attributed to Cardinal John Henry Newman, Prayer in All Things

HERE WE WATCH our brother’s sleep; watch with us, but do not weep; watch with us through dead of night— but expect the morning light.Attributed to William Drennan, The Celtic Way of Prayer

IT IS NIGHT after a long day. What has been done has been done; what has not been done has not been done; let it be.Evening prayer from Sing the Journey

CHRIST with me sleeping, Christ with me waking, Christ with me watching, every day and night, every day and night.Celtic prayer from Carmina Gadelica

Copyright © 2006 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere:

Psalm 121:2-4 is available from Biblegateway.com.

Books of Common Prayer from around the world are available online from the Anglican Resource Collection.

Celtic Daily Prayer: Prayers and Reading from the Northumbria Community, Receiving the Day, Living Simply Through the Day, Prayer in All Things, The Celtic Way of Prayer, and Carmina Gadelica, are available from Christianbook.com and other book retailers.

Sing the Journey is available from the Mennonite Publishing Network.

Past Reflections columns include:

Hope (Jan. 16, 2006)

Christmas (Dec. 19, 2005)

Poetry (Dec. 12, 2005)

Grace that Surprises (Oct. 3, 2005)

Friendship (August 31, 2005)

Wisdom That Sticks (August 8, 2005)

His Body, His Blood (June 08, 2005)

On Baptism (April 25, 2005)

Discovering God (April 07, 2005)

Welcoming the Stranger (Feb. 22, 2005)

The Church and Mission (Feb. 02, 2005)

The Church (Jan. 11, 2005)

Word Made Flesh (Dec. 20, 2004)

The Way of Salvation (Nov. 08, 2004)

Sin and Evil (Oct. 18, 2004)

Teaching and Learning (Sept. 15, 2004)

Wisdom for the Road (Aug. 02, 2004)

Discipleship (July 13, 2004

Conversion (June 09, 2004)

The Outpoured Spirit (May 03, 2004)

He Is Risen (April 08, 2004)

Jesus’ Cross (March 15, 2004)

Lenten Inventory (Feb. 25, 2004)

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Cover Story

Missions Incredible

Spong, the Measure of All Things

Living with Tares

Answering Life's Big Questions

God by the Numbers

The Almost Formerly Important

A Costly Devotion

A Corrupt Salvation

Winning the Oral Majority

Orality at Home

Christianity Unique Among Religions

Fictionalizing Jesus

All in the Family

Messianics for Evangelicals

Religion and Reconstruction

A Wind that Swirls Everywhere

Too Inclusive

More Money, Less Liberty

Bondage Breaking

Domain Game: Can Jews for Jesus Win Its Google Suit?

Editorial

Loose Cult Talk

News

Christianity Today News Briefs

News

Passages

Grace as a License for Sin

Lives of Quiet Turbulence

Loving the Storm-Drenched

Mission 'Plane of the Future'

The Art of Abortion Politics

Editorial

The Lessons of Jabez

Senator Sam Brownback

News

Go Figure

Prophecy and Politics

Honoring Pioneers

Word and Deed, Again and Again

Costly Complaints

Walking the Talk After Tsunami

For God's Sake

A Delicate Hospitality

The Truth About Deceit

View issue

Our Latest

Go Slow and Repair Things

We’re facing huge problems in our culture—problems an election alone can’t solve. But by God’s grace, we can do the small, daily work of repair.

In a Polarized World, but Not of It 

On Election Day and beyond, conservative and liberal Christians can better understand each other and be ministers of reconciliation. 

Gen Z Is Turning Online for Spiritual Guidance

Where Ya From?

Navigating Cultural Identity with Danielle Marck

Danielle Marck shares the experiences that pivoted the direction of her life toward her callings from God.

News

Charlie Kirk Aims to Expand Turning Point USA to Evangelical Campuses

But not all Christian campuses have embraced the conservative group.

News

Sarah Jakes Roberts Evolves T. D. Jakes’s Women’s Conference

At a record-setting event this fall, 40,000 followers listened to her preach about spiritual breakthrough and surrender.

News

The Evangelical Voters Who Changed Their Minds

Amid a hyperpartisan electorate, a minority plan to vote differently than they did in 2016 and 2020.

Being Human

Walking the Camino de Santiago with Barrett Harkins

The missionary to pilgrims shares wisdom from the trail.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube