This list gives you King James Version Bible verses about sleep, arranged by the situations that keep people awake: anxious minds, long nights, early mornings and the simple gift of rest. It is written for anyone who searched because they want Scripture to read before bed, during a restless night or as they start a new day. The verses share one thread: God is awake while we rest, and rest itself is a form of trust.
Verses for a Mind That Will Not Quiet Down
Many people lie awake replaying conversations, worries and unfinished tasks. The verses in this group speak to a mind that keeps running after the day is over, and they point to the One who does not sleep and invites us to hand over our burdens.
Psalm 4:8
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD , only makest me dwell in safety.
(KJV)
David names the peace he has found as a choice made in trust. Before you turn out the light, say the verse aloud, then name one worry and tell God you are leaving it with Him for the night.
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
(KJV)
Paul connects anxiety with prayer and promises a peace that guards the heart and mind. Write down the three things most likely to keep you awake, pray over each one, and then close the notebook.
1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
(KJV)
Peter’s instruction is simple: cast your cares on God because He cares for you. Picture yourself placing each worry on the bed beside you and leaving it there until morning.
Verses for Nights of Waiting and Fear
Some sleepless nights come from fear of illness, loss or an uncertain future. These verses give words to a heart that is afraid and remind you that the Lord keeps watch over you when you cannot keep watch over yourself.
Psalm 3:5
I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.
(KJV)
This psalm was written by someone surrounded by enemies, yet he slept and woke again. Use this verse on a night when you feel surrounded by problems, and thank God for each small mercy you can name.
Psalm 121:3-4
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
(KJV)
The psalmist teaches that the Keeper of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. When fear wakes you at three in the morning, repeat the truth that someone faithful is awake on your behalf.
Proverbs 3:24
When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
(KJV)
Solomon describes a sleep that is sweet, the result of wisdom and a life lived before God. Ask Him each evening to make your sleep restful, and then let the request be enough.
Isaiah 26:3
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
(KJV)
Perfect peace is promised to the mind stayed on the Lord. Choose one name of God, such as Shepherd or Refuge, and return to it each time a fearful thought interrupts your rest.
Verses for Early Mornings and Tired Days
Sleep is not only a nighttime concern. Parents, shift workers and students often rise early and feel depleted. These verses encourage you to rest in God’s strength when your own energy runs low and to begin each morning with trust.
Psalm 127:2
It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
(KJV)
The psalm warns against anxious toil that robs us of rest, and affirms that the Lord gives sleep to His beloved. On a demanding week, schedule one evening to stop working early and treat that rest as obedience.
Lamentations 3:22-23
22 It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
(KJV)
Jeremiah wrote these words in grief, yet he found that God’s mercies are new every morning. Read this verse as soon as your alarm sounds, and let it set the tone for the day ahead.
Psalm 143:8
Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
(KJV)
The psalmist asks God to let him hear His loving-kindness in the morning. Make this your first prayer after waking, asking the Lord to show you His steady love before the day’s demands arrive.
Psalm 30:5
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
(KJV)
Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning. If you are walking through a hard season, let this verse remind you that the night is not permanent.
Verses for Resting in God’s Care
The final group focuses on the deeper truth beneath sleep: we can lie down because God is faithful. These verses invite you to rest your whole life in His hands, not only your body at the end of a day.
Psalm 23:1-3
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
(KJV)
The shepherd leads his sheep to green pastures and still waters, places of genuine rest. Imagine the Lord guiding you to that kind of quiet before you fall asleep.
Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
(KJV)
Jesus invites the weary and heavy laden to come to Him for rest. Speak this invitation as a personal prayer, and tell Him exactly which weight you are ready to set down.
Psalm 62:1-2
1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. 2 He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.
(KJV)
David finds that his soul waits quietly on God alone, because God is his rock and salvation. Use the word “rock” as a focus when your thoughts begin to drift toward worry.
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
(KJV)
Those who wait upon the Lord renew their strength, a truth that applies to bodies worn out by sleeplessness as well as spirits worn out by struggle. Pair this verse with an honest request for strength in the coming week.
Psalm 91:1
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
(KJV)
To dwell in the secret place of the Most High is to live under His shelter. Picture your bedroom as a small place of that shelter, entered by faith each night.
How to Use These Verses
Write two or three of these verses on an index card and place it on your nightstand. Reading them slowly with the lamp still on can settle your thoughts more gently than scrolling through a phone. Choose verses that match the kind of sleeplessness you face most often, and rotate them so the words stay fresh.
You can also pray the verses as you lie down. Turn a verse into a sentence addressed to God, such as “Lord, You are my keeper tonight,” and then breathe slowly while you wait for sleep. If you wake in the night, return to one short verse rather than trying to solve every problem at once.
A Short Prayer for Sleep
Lord, You never grow weary, and You are awake over me while I rest. I bring You the thoughts that keep me turning in the dark, and I ask You to take them from my hands. Quiet my heart and steady my breathing. Let my sleep be a place of trust, not fear, and when I wake, meet me with Your mercy again. Thank You for the gift of rest that You give to Your beloved. Amen.
