Simeon's Prayer (Nunc Dimittis)

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

— Luke 2:29–32 (KJV)

About This Prayer

Simeon was an old man who had been promised he would not die before seeing the Messiah. When Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the temple, Simeon took the child in his arms and prayed these words — a life's waiting answered, and a heart finally at rest. Known by its Latin name, the Nunc Dimittis, it has been the church's night prayer for more than fifteen hundred years, sung at Compline and Evensong as each day is laid down in peace.

When to Pray This

Pray Simeon's prayer at the end of the day, as generations have, letting go of the day's weight before sleep. It is also a tender prayer near the end of a life — at a bedside, or in a season of saying goodbye — because Simeon shows that a person can leave this world in peace, having seen God's faithfulness with their own eyes.