Prayer for Protection

A Christian prayer for protection — over a home, a journey, a child walking back late — with the Psalm-based and Celtic prayers Christians have used for the same purpose for centuries.

The prayer

Lord God, my keeper, I put myself and those I love under Your protection tonight. Guard this house and everyone under its roof. Guard the ones who are not under it — the ones travelling, the ones working late, the ones I cannot reach. Where I can act to keep them safe, make me sensible and not fearful. Where I can do nothing, let me leave them with You and actually sleep. You neither slumber nor sleep; I do, and I need to. Keep us through the night, and wake us to Your mercy in the morning. Amen.

History & tradition

Psalm 91 and Psalm 121 have been the Church's protection prayers since before there was a Church — both were sung in the Temple. The Celtic tradition gave us the 'lorica' or breastplate prayer, of which St Patrick's Breastplate is the famous example: Christ before, behind, above and beneath. Compline, the Church's last office of the day, is essentially a protection prayer fixed to an hour.

When to pray it

Pray it at night, at the door before a journey, or the moment you realise you are lying awake worrying about someone. It is a prayer for handing over what you cannot supervise.

Three short alternatives

Psalm 121 as prayer

'I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.' It is a traveller's psalm — pray it setting off.

A breastplate, shortened

'Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ beside me, Christ within me.' From St Patrick's Breastplate. Pray it walking.

For someone out late

'Lord, walk home with them. Amen.' Short prayers are not lesser prayers.

Pair it with daily practice

See our verses about protection and the whole of Psalm 91. Quiethaven puts a verse on your lock screen, which is where you will see it at two in the morning.

"Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." — Psalm 121:4 (KJV)

Other prayers

• Morning Prayer
• Evening Prayer
• The Serenity Prayer
• The Jesus Prayer
• Prayer for Anxiety
• Prayer for Healing
• Prayer for Strength
• Prayer Before Surgery
• Night Prayer
• Prayer Before Meals
• The Prayer of St Francis
• The Apostles' Creed
• The Hail Mary
• Prayer for Guidance