Where does this prayer come from?

Question

"Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
That if I die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take."

I think that's how it goes.

Answer 1

I don't think this is a real prayer. This seems to be a poem that someone thought would make a good prayer, probably from a Catholic prayer book. Someone once gave me that prayer embroidered on a cloth and told my mom to teach it to me. It would scare me, the part about if I should die before I wake.
Later my mother was quite athiestic, and didn't have anything to do with church.
When I got older I found out the meaning of prayer. Prayer is talking to God. Not repeating a poem. If I talk to you would you like me to repeat a poem over and over , could we have a friendship like that?

Answer 2

There are some different versions out there (and another verse), but you have the most-often heard one.

It was probably designed to teach small children to pray. According to Wikipedia, it dates back to the 18th century.

Answer 3

I don't know, but that always scared me when I was a little kid and my mother made me recite it. I thought it meant I would die in my sleep.

Answer 4

Im not sure but I do think it has to go back to the black plague. That is the source for "Ring around the roses".

Answer 5

people who want children to lay awake for hours frightend

Answer 6

I don't know but that particular one allways gave me nightmares.

Answer 7

i think that ALLAH tought adam to pray so thats how it comes

Answer 8

sorry!! don t know !!!