<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-12-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000059558</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>LINCOLN NATIONAL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>LNC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001228945</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GLAZIER JASON</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>CENTRE SQUARE - WEST TOWER</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1500 MARKET STREET, STE 3900</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PHILADELPHIA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>191022112</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SVP Technology</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>DCP Phantom Stock Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.00</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-12-31</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>299.92</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1988-08-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>1988-08-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>299.92</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3465.11</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Performance Stock Unit</value>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>25.11</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-12-31</value>
                <footnoteId id="F9"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>269.86</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F10"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1988-08-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2006-03-31</value>
                <footnoteId id="F11"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>269.86</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9829.86</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Lincoln National Corporation Executive Deferred Compensation Plan for Employees.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">DCP Phantom Stock Units are acquired periodically by the reporting person at the then current market price for LNC Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Reporting person acquired DCP phantom stock units periodically from 1/1/2003 through 12/31/2003.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Phantom Stock Units acquired by the reporting person pursuant to the Deferred Compensation Plan will be settled in LNC Common Stock upon the reporting person's death, disability, or termination of employment.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">DCP Phantom Stock Units  are acquired periodically by the reporting person through an election to defer compensation under the Plan, but have no fixed exercisable date and are subject to settlement in shares of LNC Common Stock upon the reporting person's death,  retirement or termination of employment.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">DCP Phantom Stock Units have no fixed expiration date and are subject to settlement in shares of LNC Common Stock upon the reporting person's death, disability, retirement or termination of employment.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">DCP Phantom Stock Units were acquired by the reporting person at prices ranging from $24.73 to $46.71 per phantom stock unit.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">Reporting Person elected to recieve Phantom Performance Stock Units under the LNC Incentive Compensation Plan for the 2003-2005 Long Term Incentive Plan cycle (&quot;LTIP&quot;), payable in 2006. The Phantom Performance Stock Units are valued at the average of the high and low price of LNC common stock reported on the NYSE on March 12, 2003. The actual number of Phantom Performance Stock Units will not be determined until the scheduled payout for the LTIP in 2006.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F9">Quarterly Dividends accrued on Phantom Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F10">Amount reflects aggregate accrued phantom dividends on phantom performance restricted stock unit awards under 2003-2005 LTIP.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F11">The date referred to above is an approximate date by which the reporting person would recieive a pay-out of the 2003-2005 LTIP, if the performance targets set forth in the 2003-2005 LTIP are achieved.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: /S/ Donna E. Ostroff, POA for Jason S. Glazier</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

