Now all the woods are sleeping

“Now All the Woods Are Sleeping” is a tender evening hymn by Paul Gerhardt that invites the believer to rest in God’s faithful care at the close of day. Written in the seventeenth century, the hymn reflects the devotional warmth and pastoral sensitivity for which Gerhardt is well known. It is especially suited for evening worship, family devotions, and personal prayer, guiding the heart from the busyness of the day into quiet trust before God.

The hymn opens with imagery of creation settling into rest, echoing Psalm 4:8, where the psalmist declares peace and safety in lying down because the Lord alone makes him dwell in security. Gerhardt uses the stillness of nature as a gentle call for the soul to find rest in God, reminding believers that rest is not merely physical but spiritual.

Psalm 121:3-4 shapes the hymn’s assurance that God’s watchful care never ceases. While human activity pauses and sleep overtakes the world, the Lord neither slumbers nor sleeps. This truth brings comfort to the worshiper, affirming that God’s protection remains constant through the night.

The hymn also reflects the invitation of Christ in Matthew 11:28-30, where Jesus calls the weary to come to Him for rest. Gerhardt presents rest as a gift grounded in relationship with God rather than mere inactivity. The soul finds peace by entrusting itself fully to the Lord’s keeping.

There is also a quiet Christological note that aligns with John 1:4-5. As darkness falls, Christ is confessed as the true light who shines in the darkness and is not overcome by it. Night becomes not a symbol of fear, but a setting in which God’s presence and promise remain sure.

“Now All the Woods Are Sleeping” continues to serve the church as a hymn of calm assurance. It teaches believers to end the day with gratitude, confession, and trust, resting confidently in the God who guards both body and soul through every hour of the night.