Psalms for Times of Distress

Whenever a Jew encounters a challenge, the go-to response is to cry out to G‑d in prayer, often through the familiar, divinely inspired words of the Psalms, compiled by King David. As our nation is under threat and the Jewish people in the Holy Land face unthinkable tragedy and brutality, we join them in praying for peace and security. The following chapters of Psalms have been selected for private and communal prayer during this time.

Chapter 20

For the conductor, a song of David. May the Lord answer you on a day of distress; may the name of the God of Jacob fortify you. May He send your aid from His sanctuary, and may He support you from Zion. May He remember all your meal offerings and may He accept your fat burnt offerings forever. May He give you as your heart [desires], and may He fulfill all your counsel. Let us sing praises for your salvation, and let us assemble in the name of our God; may the Lord fulfill all your requests. Now I know that the Lord saved His anointed; He answered him from His holy heavens; with the mighty acts of salvation from His right hand. These trust in chariots and these in horses, but we-we mention the name of the Lord our God. They kneel and fall, but we rise and gain strength. O Lord, save [us]; may the King answer us on the day we call.

פרק כ

לַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד: יַעַנְךָ יְהוָה בְּיוֹם צָרָה יְשַׂגֶּבְךָ שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב: יִשְׁלַח עֶזְרְךָ מִקֹּדֶשׁ וּמִצִּיּוֹן יִסְעָדֶךָּ: יִזְכֹּר כָּל מִנְחֹתֶךָ וְעוֹלָתְךָ יְדַשְּׁנֶה סֶלָה: יִתֶּן לְךָ כִלְבָבֶךָ וְכָל עֲצָתְךָ יְמַלֵּא: נְרַנְּנָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ וּבְשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵינוּ נִדְגֹּל יְמַלֵּא יְהוָה כָּל מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶיךָ: עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי הוֹשִׁיעַ יְהוָה מְשִׁיחוֹ יַעֲנֵהוּ מִשְּׁמֵי קָדְשׁוֹ בִּגְבֻרוֹת יֵשַׁע יְמִינוֹ: אֵלֶּה בָרֶכֶב וְאֵלֶּה בַסּוּסִים וַאֲנַחְנוּ בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ נַזְכִּיר: הֵמָּה כָּרְעוּ וְנָפָלוּ וַאֲנַחְנוּ קַּמְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָד: יְהוָה הוֹשִׁיעָה הַמֶּלֶךְ יַעֲנֵנוּ בְיוֹם קָרְאֵנוּ:

Chapter 22

For the conductor, on the ayeleth hashachar, a song of David. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? [You are] far from my salvation [and] from the words of my moaning. My God, I call out by day and You do not reply, and at night I do not keep silent. But You are holy; You await the praises of Israel. Our ancestors trusted in You; they trusted and You rescued them. They cried out to You and they escaped; they trusted in You and they were not shamed. But I am a worm and not a man; a reproach of man, despised by peoples. All who see me will mock me; they will open their lips, they will shake their head. One should cast his trust upon the Lord, and He will rescue him; He will save him because He delights in him. For You drew me from the womb; You made me secure on my mother's breasts. Upon You, I was cast from birth; from my mother's womb You are my God. Do not distance Yourself from me, for distress is near; for there is none to help. Great bulls have surrounded me; the mighty ones of Bashan encompassed me. They opened their mouth against me [like] a tearing, roaring lion. I was spilled like water, and all my bones were separated; my heart was like wax, melting within my innards. My strength became dried out like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my palate; and You set me down in the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me, like a lion, my hands and feet. I tell about all my bones. They look and gloat over me. They share my garments among themselves and cast lots for my raiment. But You, O Lord, do not distance Yourself; my strength, hasten to my assistance. Save my soul from the sword, my only one from the grip of the dog. Save me from the lion's mouth, as from the horns of the wild oxen You answered me. I will tell Your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise You. You who fear the Lord, praise Him; all the seed of Jacob, honor Him, and fear Him, all the seed of Israel. For He has neither despised nor abhorred the cry of the poor, neither has He hidden His countenance from him; and when he cried out to Him, He hearkened. Because of You is my praise in the great congregation; I pay my vows in the presence of those who fear Him. The humble shall eat and be sated; they shall praise the Lord, those who seek Him; your hearts shall live forever. All the ends of the earth shall remember and return to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall prostrate themselves before You. For the kingship is the Lord's, and He rules over the nations. They shall eat all the best of the earth and prostrate themselves; before Him shall all those who descend to the dust kneel, and He will not quicken his soul. The seed that worships Him; it shall be told to the generation concerning the Lord. They shall come and tell His righteousness to the newborn people, that which He has done.

פרק כב

לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל אַיֶּלֶת הַשַּׁחַר מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד: אֵלִי אֵלִי לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי רָחוֹק מִישׁוּעָתִי דִּבְרֵי שַׁאֲגָתִי: אֱלֹהַי אֶקְרָא יוֹמָם וְלֹא תַעֲנֶה וְלַיְלָה וְלֹא דוּמִיָּה לִי: וְאַתָּה קָדוֹשׁ יוֹשֵׁב תְּהִלּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל: בְּךָ בָּטְחוּ אֲבֹתֵינוּ בָּטְחוּ וַתְּפַלְּטֵמוֹ: אֵלֶיךָ זָעֲקוּ וְנִמְלָטוּ בְּךָ בָטְחוּ וְלֹא בוֹשׁוּ: וְאָנֹכִי תוֹלַעַת וְלֹא אִישׁ חֶרְפַּת אָדָם וּבְזוּי עָם: כָּל רֹאַי יַלְעִגוּ לִי יַפְטִירוּ בְשָׂפָה יָנִיעוּ רֹאשׁ: גֹּל אֶל יְהוָה יְפַלְּטֵהוּ יַצִּילֵהוּ כִּי חָפֵץ בּוֹ: כִּי אַתָּה גֹחִי מִבָּטֶן מַבְטִיחִי עַל שְׁדֵי אִמִּי: עָלֶיךָ הָשְׁלַכְתִּי מֵרָחֶם מִבֶּטֶן אִמִּי אֵלִי אָתָּה: אַל תִּרְחַק מִמֶּנִּי כִּי צָרָה קְרוֹבָה כִּי אֵין עוֹזֵר: סְבָבוּנִי פָּרִים רַבִּים אַבִּירֵי בָשָׁן כִּתְּרוּנִי: פָּצוּ עָלַי פִּיהֶם אַרְיֵה טֹרֵף וְשֹׁאֵג: כַּמַּיִם נִשְׁפַּכְתִּי וְהִתְפָּרְדוּ כָּל עַצְמוֹתָי הָיָה לִבִּי כַּדּוֹנָג נָמֵס בְּתוֹךְ מֵעָי: יָבֵשׁ כַּחֶרֶשׂ כֹּחִי וּלְשׁוֹנִי מֻדְבָּק מַלְקוֹחָי וְלַעֲפַר מָוֶת תִּשְׁפְּתֵנִי: כִּי סְבָבוּנִי כְּלָבִים עֲדַת מְרֵעִים הִקִּיפוּנִי כָּאֲרִי יָדַי וְרַגְלָי: אֲסַפֵּר כָּל עַצְמוֹתָי הֵמָּה יַבִּיטוּ יִרְאוּ בִי: יְחַלְּקוּ בְגָדַי לָהֶם וְעַל לְבוּשִׁי יַפִּילוּ גוֹרָל: וְאַתָּה יְהוָה אַל תִּרְחָק אֱיָלוּתִי לְעֶזְרָתִי חוּשָׁה: הַצִּילָה מֵחֶרֶב נַפְשִׁי מִיַּד כֶּלֶב יְחִידָתִי: הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי מִפִּי אַרְיֵה וּמִקַּרְנֵי רֵמִים עֲנִיתָנִי: אֲסַפְּרָה שִׁמְךָ לְאֶחָי בְּתוֹךְ קָהָל אֲהַלְלֶךָּ: יִרְאֵי יְהוָה הַלְלוּהוּ כָּל זֶרַע יַעֲקֹב כַּבְּדוּהוּ וְגוּרוּ מִמֶּנּוּ כָּל זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל: כִּי לֹא בָזָה וְלֹא שִׁקַּץ עֱנוּת עָנִי וְלֹא הִסְתִּיר פָּנָיו מִמֶּנּוּ וּבְשַׁוְּעוֹ אֵלָיו שָׁמֵעַ: מֵאִתְּךָ תְהִלָּתִי בְּקָהָל רָב נְדָרַי אֲשַׁלֵּם נֶגֶד יְרֵאָיו: יֹאכְלוּ עֲנָוִים וְיִשְׂבָּעוּ יְהַלְלוּ יְהוָה דֹּרְשָׁיו יְחִי לְבַבְכֶם לָעַד: יִזְכְּרוּ וְיָשֻׁבוּ אֶל יְהוָה כָּל אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְפָנֶיךָ כָּל מִשְׁפְּחוֹת גּוֹיִם: כִּי לַיהוָה הַמְּלוּכָה וּמֹשֵׁל בַּגּוֹיִם: אָכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲוּוּ כָּל דִּשְׁנֵי אֶרֶץ לְפָנָיו יִכְרְעוּ כָּל יוֹרְדֵי עָפָר וְנַפְשׁוֹ לֹא חִיָּה: זֶרַע יַעַבְדֶנּוּ יְסֻפַּר לַאדֹנָי לַדּוֹר: יָבֹאוּ וְיַגִּידוּ צִדְקָתוֹ לְעַם נוֹלָד כִּי עָשָׂה:

Chapter 69

For the conductor, on shoshannim, of David. Save me, O God, for water has come up to my soul. I have sunk in muddy depths and there is no place to stand; I have come into the deep water, and the current has swept me away. I have become weary from calling out; my throat has become parched; my eyes fail while I wait for my God. Those who hate me for nothing are more numerous than the hairs of my head; mighty are those who would cut me off, who are my enemies because of lies; what I did not steal, I will then return. O God, You know my folly, and my acts of guilt are not concealed from You. Do not let those who hope for You be shamed through me, O Lord God of Hosts; let those who seek You not be disgraced through me, O God of Israel. For I have borne humiliation because of You; disgrace has covered my face. I was strange to my brothers, and alien to the sons of my mother. For the envy of Your house has consumed me, and the humiliations of those who blaspheme You have fallen upon me. I bewailed my soul in fast, and it was a disgrace for me. I made sackcloth my raiment, and I became a byword to them. They talk about me, those who sit in the gate, and they make melodies about me for those who imbibe strong drink. But, as for me, may my prayer to You, O Lord, be in an acceptable time. O God, with Your abundant kindness, answer me with the truth of Your salvation. Save me from mud that I not sink, that I be saved from my enemies and from the depths of water. Let neither the current of water sweep me away, nor the deep swallow me, and let a well not close its mouth over me. Answer me, O Lord, for Your kindness is good; according to Your abundant mercies, turn to me. Do not hide Your face from Your servant, because I am distressed, hasten to answer me. Come close to my soul, redeem it; because of my enemies, redeem me. You know my humiliation, my shame, and my disgrace; all my oppressors are before You. Humiliation has broken my heart and I have become ill; I hoped for sympathy but there was none, and for comforters but I found none. They put gall into my food and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. May their table before them become a trap, and their hope for peace become a snare. May their eyes become dark, so they cannot see; constantly cause their loins to slip. Pour out Your fury upon them, and may Your burning wrath overtake them. May their palace be desolate; in their tents let there be no dweller. For You-those whom You smote they pursued, and about the pain of those whom You wounded they tell. Add iniquity to their iniquity, and let them not come into Your charity. May they be erased from the book of life, and may they not be inscribed with the righteous. But I am poor and in pain; may Your salvation, O God, exalt me. I shall praise the name of God with song, and I shall magnify Him with a thanksgiving offering. It will appeal to the Lord more than a young bull that is mature, with horns and hooves. When the humble see, they rejoice, yea, those who seek God, and your heart will be invigorated. For God hearkens to the needy, and He does not despise His prisoners. Heaven and earth will praise Him, the seas and everything that moves therein. When God saves Zion and builds the cities of Judah, they will dwell there and take possession of it. The seed of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His name will dwell therein.

פרק סט

לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל שׁוֹשַׁנִּים לְדָוִד: הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי אֱלֹהִים כִּי בָאוּ מַיִם עַד נָפֶשׁ: טָבַעְתִּי בִּיוֵן מְצוּלָה וְאֵין מָעֳמָד בָּאתִי בְמַעֲמַקֵּי מַיִם וְשִׁבֹּלֶת שְׁטָפָתְנִי: יָגַעְתִּי בְקָרְאִי נִחַר גְּרוֹנִי כָּלוּ עֵינַי מְיַחֵל לֵאלֹהָי: רַבּוּ מִשַּׂעֲרוֹת רֹאשִׁי שֹׂנְאַי חִנָּם עָצְמוּ מַצְמִיתַי אֹיְבַי שֶׁקֶר אֲשֶׁר לֹא גָזַלְתִּי אָז אָשִׁיב: אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ לְאִוַּלְתִּי וְאַשְׁמוֹתַי מִמְּךָ לֹא נִכְחָדוּ: אַל יֵבֹשׁוּ בִי קוֶֹיךָ אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה צְבָאוֹת אַל יִכָּלְמוּ בִי מְבַקְשֶׁיךָ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: כִּי עָלֶיךָ נָשָׂאתִי חֶרְפָּה כִּסְּתָה כְלִמָּה פָנָי: מוּזָר הָיִיתִי לְאֶחָי וְנָכְרִי לִבְנֵי אִמִּי: כִּי קִנְאַת בֵּיתְךָ אֲכָלָתְנִי וְחֶרְפּוֹת חוֹרְפֶיךָ נָפְלוּ עָלָי: וָאֶבְכֶּה בַצּוֹם נַפְשִׁי וַתְּהִי לַחֲרָפוֹת לִי: וָאֶתְּנָה לְבוּשִׁי שָׂק וָאֱהִי לָהֶם לְמָשָׁל: יָשִׂיחוּ בִי יֹשְׁבֵי שָׁעַר וּנְגִינוֹת שׁוֹתֵי שֵׁכָר: וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ יְהוָה עֵת רָצוֹן אֱלֹהִים בְּרָב חַסְדֶּךָ עֲנֵנִי בֶּאֱמֶת יִשְׁעֶךָ: הַצִּילֵנִי מִטִּיט וְאַל אֶטְבָּעָה אִנָּצְלָה מִשֹּׂנְאַי וּמִמַּעֲמַקֵּי מָיִם: אַל תִּשְׁטְפֵנִי שִׁבֹּלֶת מַיִם וְאַל תִּבְלָעֵנִי מְצוּלָה וְאַל תֶּאְטַר עָלַי בְּאֵר פִּיהָ: עֲנֵנִי יְהוָה כִּי טוֹב חַסְדֶּךָ כְּרֹב רַחֲמֶיךָ פְּנֵה אֵלָי: וְאַל תַּסְתֵּר פָּנֶיךָ מֵעַבְדֶּךָ כִּי צַר לִי מַהֵר עֲנֵנִי: קָרְבָה אֶל נַפְשִׁי גְאָלָהּ לְמַעַן אֹיְבַי פְּדֵנִי: אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ חֶרְפָּתִי וּבָשְׁתִּי וּכְלִמָּתִי נֶגְדְּךָ כָּל צוֹרְרָי: חֶרְפָּה שָׁבְרָה לִבִּי וָאָנוּשָׁה וָאֲקַוֶּה לָנוּד וָאַיִן וְלַמְנַחֲמִים וְלֹא מָצָאתִי: וַיִּתְּנוּ בְּבָרוּתִי רֹאשׁ וְלִצְמָאִי יַשְׁקוּנִי חֹמֶץ: יְהִי שֻׁלְחָנָם לִפְנֵיהֶם לְפָח וְלִשְׁלוֹמִים לְמוֹקֵשׁ: תֶּחְשַׁכְנָה עֵינֵיהֶם מֵרְאוֹת וּמָתְנֵיהֶם תָּמִיד הַמְעַד: שְׁפָךְ עֲלֵיהֶם זַעְמֶךָ וַחֲרוֹן אַפְּךָ יַשִּׂיגֵם: תְּהִי טִירָתָם נְשַׁמָּה בְּאָהֳלֵיהֶם אַל יְהִי יֹשֵׁב: כִּי אַתָּה אֲשֶׁר הִכִּיתָ רָדָפוּ וְאֶל מַכְאוֹב חֲלָלֶיךָ יְסַפֵּרוּ: תְּנָה עָוֹן עַל עֲוֹנָם וְאַל יָבֹאוּ בְּצִדְקָתֶךָ: יִמָּחוּ מִסֵּפֶר חַיִּים וְעִם צַדִּיקִים אַל יִכָּתֵבוּ: וַאֲנִי עָנִי וְכוֹאֵב יְשׁוּעָתְךָ אֱלֹהִים תְּשַׂגְּבֵנִי: אֲהַלְלָה שֵׁם אֱלֹהִים בְּשִׁיר וַאֲגַדְּלֶנּוּ בְתוֹדָה: וְתִיטַב לַיהוָה מִשּׁוֹר פָּר מַקְרִן מַפְרִיס: רָאוּ עֲנָוִים יִשְׂמָחוּ דֹּרְשֵׁי אֱלֹהִים וִיחִי לְבַבְכֶם: כִּי שֹׁמֵעַ אֶל אֶבְיוֹנִים יְהוָה וְאֶת אֲסִירָיו לֹא בָזָה: יְהַלְלוּהוּ שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ יַמִּים וְכָל רֹמֵשׂ בָּם: כִּי אֱלֹהִים יוֹשִׁיעַ צִיּוֹן וְיִבְנֶה עָרֵי יְהוּדָה וְיָשְׁבוּ שָׁם וִירֵשׁוּהָ: וְזֶרַע עֲבָדָיו יִנְחָלוּהָ וְאֹהֲבֵי שְׁמוֹ יִשְׁכְּנוּ בָהּ:

Chapter 122

A song of ascents of David. I rejoiced when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord." Our feet were standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. The built-up Jerusalem is like a city that was joined together within itself. There ascended the tribes, the tribes of God, testimony to Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. For there were set thrones for judgment, thrones for the house of David. Request the welfare of Jerusalem; may those who love you enjoy tranquility. May there be peace in your wall, tranquility in your palaces. For the sake of my brethren and my companions, I shall now speak of peace in you. For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I shall beg for goodness for you.

פרק קכב

שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת לְדָוִד שָׂמַחְתִּי בְאֹמְרִים לִי בֵית יְהֹוָה נֵלֵךְ: עֹמְדוֹת הָיוּ רַגְלֵינוּ בִשְׁעָרַיִךְ יְרוּשָׁלִַם: יְרוּשָׁלִַם הַבְּנוּיָה כְעִיר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה-לָּהּ יַחְדָּו: שָׁם עָלוּ שְׁבָטִים שִׁבְטֵי-יָה עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְהוֹדוֹת לְשֵׁם יְהֹוָה: כִּי שָׁמָּה יָשְׁבוּ כִסְאוֹת לְמִשְׁפָּט כִּסְאוֹת לְבֵית דָּוִד: שַׁאֲלוּ שְׁלוֹם יְרוּשָׁלִָם יִשְׁלָיוּ אֹהֲבָיִךְ: יְהִי-שָׁלוֹם בְּחֵילֵךְ שַׁלְוָה בְּאַרְמְנוֹתָיִךְ: לְמַעַן-אַחַי וְרֵעָי אֲדַבְּרָה-נָּא שָׁלוֹם בָּךְ: לְמַעַן בֵּית-יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֲבַקְשָׁה טוֹב לָךְ

Chapter 150

Hallelujah! Praise God in His holy place, praise Him in the firmament of His might. Praise Him with His mighty deeds, praise Him as befits His superb greatness. Praise Him with a shofar blast, praise Him with psaltery and lyre. Praise Him with timbres and dance, praise Him with stringed instruments and flute. Praise Him with resounding cymbals, praise Him with resonant cymbals. Let every soul praise God. Hallelujah!

פרק קנ

הַלְלוּיָהּ הַלְלוּ אֵל בְּקָדְשׁוֹ הַלְלוּהוּ בִּרְקִיעַ עֻזּוֹ: הַלְלוּהוּ בִגְבוּרֹתָיו הַלְלוּהוּ כְּרֹב גֻּדְלוֹ: הַלְלוּהוּ בְּתֵקַע שׁוֹפָר הַלְלוּהוּ בְּנֵבֶל וְכִנּוֹר: הַלְלוּהוּ בְתֹף וּמָחוֹל הַלְלוּהוּ בְּמִנִּים וְעוּגָב: הַלְלוּהוּ בְצִלְצְלֵי שָׁמַע הַלְלוּהוּ בְּצִלְצְלֵי תְרוּעָה: כֹּל הַנְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ הַלְלוּיָהּ:

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