Sacred texts · Judaism
Tehillim: 51 verses from the Psalms for every need
Tehillim, meaning “praises” in Hebrew, is the Jewish name for the book of Psalms. Saying Tehillim is an old and living practice: people recite them to ask for protection, for someone who is ill, to get through a hard time or to give thanks. Psalm 121, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains,” and Psalm 23, “The LORD is my shepherd,” are among the most often recited.
This page gathers verses from Tehillim in the Jewish Publication Society’s 1917 translation, arranged by intention: protection, trust, distress, night and morning, praise, and prayer for someone who is ill. Each verse was checked word for word and follows the Hebrew numbering. These texts go with prayer; they don’t replace medical care. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 in the US, call Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK, or find a local line at findahelpline.com.
Tehillim for protection: Psalms 91 and 121
Psalms 91 and 121 are traditionally recited for protection, before a journey or a hard night. “He that keepeth thee will not slumber,” says Psalm 121. Other verses here speak of shelter, wings and a shield.
O thou that dwellest in the covert of the Most High, And abidest in the shadow of the Almighty; I will say of the LORD, who is my refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him, and bring him to honour.
I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: From whence shall my help come? My help cometh from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; He that keepeth thee will not slumber.
The LORD shall keep thee from all evil; He shall keep thy soul. The LORD shall guard thy going out and thy coming in, From this time forth and for ever.
Keep me as the apple of the eye, Hide me in the shadow of Thy wings.
Keep me, O God; for I have taken refuge in Thee.
Thou art my hiding-place; Thou wilt preserve me from the adversary; With songs of deliverance Thou wilt compass me about.
God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations.
Tehillim of trust: Psalm 23
Psalm 23 is often sung at the third Sabbath meal and read in times of mourning. It appears here verse by verse, followed by other verses of trust: committing your way to the LORD, casting your burden on him.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul; He guideth me in straight paths for His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
I have set the LORD always before me; Surely He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Only for God doth my soul wait in stillness; From Him cometh my salvation.
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass.
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He will sustain thee; He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Tehillim for times of distress
“Out of the depths have I called Thee, O LORD.” Psalm 130 and the verses that follow give words to people at the bottom: they cry out, they wait, and then they remember that God answers in the day of trouble.
Out of the depths have I called Thee, O LORD. Lord, hearken unto my voice; let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in His word do I hope.
In the day of my trouble I call upon Thee; For Thou wilt answer me.
And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt honour Me.
From the end of the earth will I call unto Thee, when my heart fainteth; Lead me to a rock that is too high for me.
I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why moanest thou within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the salvation of my countenance, and my God.
If I say: 'My foot slippeth', Thy mercy, O LORD, holdeth me up.
They cried unto the LORD in their trouble, And He brought them out of their distresses. He made the storm a calm, So that the waves thereof were still.
Tehillim for night and morning
Some verses go with lying down and waking up: “In peace will I both lay me down and sleep,” says Psalm 4. Others ask to hear God’s lovingkindness in the morning. They are easy to learn by heart.
In peace will I both lay me down and sleep; for Thou, LORD, makest me dwell alone in safety.
I lay me down, and I sleep; I awake, for the LORD sustaineth me.
When I remember Thee upon my couch, And meditate on Thee in the night-watches. For Thou hast been my help, And in the shadow of Thy wings do I rejoice.
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 unto Thee have I lifted up my soul.
O satisfy us in the morning with Thy mercy; That we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, And to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most High; To declare Thy lovingkindness in the morning, And Thy faithfulness in the night seasons.
Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy cometh in the morning.
I have stilled and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child with his mother; My soul is with me like a weaned child.
Tehillim of praise and thanksgiving
The book of Tehillim ends in praise: “Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD.” These verses, several of which are part of the morning prayers, celebrate God’s goodness, creation and the joy of being alive.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits.
Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Hallelujah.
O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good, For His mercy endureth for ever.
For the LORD is good; His mercy endureth for ever; and His faithfulness unto all generations.
Shout unto the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; come before His presence with singing.
I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
This is the day which the LORD hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Tehillim for someone who is ill
Reciting Tehillim for someone who is ill is a widespread custom, often adding the person’s name to the prayer. These verses speak of a God who is near the brokenhearted and upholds all who fall. They go alongside medical care, never instead of it.
The LORD support him upon the bed of illness.
Who healeth the broken in heart, And bindeth up their wounds.
My flesh and my heart faileth; But God is the rock of my heart and my portion for ever.
This is my comfort in my affliction, that Thy word hath quickened me.
The LORD upholdeth all that fall, And raiseth up all those that are bowed down.
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, And saveth such as are of a contrite spirit.
When my cares are many within me, Thy comforts delight my soul.
How to say Tehillim
Tehillim are said quietly or in an undertone, slowly, in Hebrew or in your own language. If you don’t read Hebrew, the translation is enough: intention matters as much as the words. Choose a psalm, read it in full in your Bible starting from the verse quoted here, then come back to the verse that spoke to you most.
To pray for someone, many people add the person’s Hebrew name and their mother’s name at the end. Some groups divide the hundred and fifty psalms among themselves to finish the whole book in a day. You can start far more simply: one verse, every night.
Frequently asked questions
Which Tehillim are said for protection?
Psalm 91, which opens “O thou that dwellest in the covert of the Most High,” and Psalm 121 are often recited for protection, and Psalm 121 is a common choice before a journey. Psalms 20 and 27 are also read in anxious times.
Which Tehillim are said for someone who is sick?
Custom links several psalms to prayer for the sick, including Psalms 6, 20, 30 and 41, whose verse 4 says, “The LORD support him upon the bed of illness.” The person’s name is added. This prayer goes alongside medical care and does not replace it.
Why are verse numbers different from my Bible?
The JPS 1917 translation follows the Hebrew numbering, which often counts a psalm’s title as verse 1. A Christian English Bible such as the King James Version may therefore give a different number for the same text: Psalm 34:19 on this page is Psalm 34:18 in the King James Version.