An Evening Prayer to the Shepherd Who Counts His Sheep

Good Shepherd, people say to count sheep
when sleep won't come.
Tonight I remember that You are the one counting.

At the end of the day,
a shepherd brings the flock in from the hills
and counts them through the gate, one by one.
If even one is missing,
he goes back out into the dark to look.

Count me in tonight, Lord.
Count the ones I love,
wherever they are, however far they have wandered.

You make me lie down in green pastures.
You lead me beside still waters.
You restore my soul,
and tonight it needs restoring.

The sheep don't keep watch. The shepherd does.
You are the gate of the fold,
and nothing gets past You.
So I can close my eyes.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

When to Pray This

Pray this in bed when sleep won't come, instead of counting sheep. It is a good prayer for a night when you are worried about someone who has wandered far from home.

A Verse to Hold On To

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters." — Psalm 23:1–2 (KJV)