A Night Prayer to Be Kept as the Apple of God's Eye

Keep me as the apple of Your eye, Lord.
Hide me in the shadow of Your wings.

These words have been whispered in the dark
by Your people for generations.

The apple of the eye is the part of us
we guard without even thinking.
Our eyelids close before anything can touch it.
We turn our heads away from a blow by instinct.

That is how You watch over me —
closely, quickly, without ever growing tired.
I am that precious to You.

So tonight, hide me in Your shadow.
Keep me close in the dark,
the way You keep what is dearest to You,
until the morning light.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

When to Pray This

Pray this as the last thing at night, once the lights are out and the house is still. It is short enough to say again if you wake in the small hours. Say it slowly, and let each line settle.

A Verse to Hold On To

"Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings." — Psalm 17:8 (BSB)