Valence state of the Sm metal is investigated using the total energy linearized muffin-tin orbital (LMTO) band method for the observed Sm-type crystal structure. We have considered both the relativistic and the semi-relativistic description of 4f-core electrons. We have found that, in the paramagnetic phase of bulk Sm, the trivalent valence state is more stable at the observed lattice constant than the divalent valence state.