I remember a slightly different version of this prayer, namely, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep; and if I die before I wake, I pray my Lord my soul to take.” This must be the Baptist/Presbyterian version. It was, afterall, the one my Presbyterian/Baptist mother taught me. Luckily, I never thought of it as preparation for death. But, it may have helped me sleep soundly.
I remember a slightly different version of this prayer, namely, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep; and if I die before I wake, I pray my Lord my soul to take.” This must be the Baptist/Presbyterian version. It was, afterall, the one my Presbyterian/Baptist mother taught me. Luckily, I never thought of it as preparation for death. But, it may have helped me sleep soundly.