“Lord God,
Since Thou hast made the night for man to rest as Thou hast created the day for his work, I beseech Thee to give my body a restful night and to grant that my soul may be lifted up to Thee and my heart always filled with Thy love.
Teach me, O God, to entrust all my cares to Thee and constantly remember Thy mercy, so that my soul may enjoy spiritual rest.
Let not my sleep be excessive, but let it serve to renew my strength so that I may be more ready to serve Thee.
May it please Thee also to keep me pure in body and in spirit, preserving me from all temptations and all danger, so that my very sleep may contribute to the glory of Thy name.
And since this day has not passed without my offending Thee in several ways, I who am a poor sinner make this request.
Grant, O God, that just as now Thou hast hid all things in the shadows of the night, Thou wilt also bury my sins in Thy mercy, through Jesus Christ my Savior. Amen.”
–John Calvin, “Evening Prayer” in The Genevan Catechism (1542). As quoted in Stephen Nichols, The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World (Wheaton: Crossway, 2007), 148-149.
