What Are Psalms and Why Should I Say Them?

The Book of Psalms is comprised of 150 prayers that run the gamut of human emotion. No matter what we are feeling or what emotions we long to put into words, there is a Psalm that can help us formulate our thoughts and find the words to pray. They are traditionally recited during times of war and other challenging moments.

Written primarily by King David, some were composed in the midst of war, others jotted down while hiding in a dark cave, fearful that the next moment might bring death. Some express regret and anguish, lamenting for wrong choices and missed opportunities; others describe overwhelming joy and celebration.

The Book of Psalms, Sefer Tehillim in Hebrew, is a bedrock of Jewish prayer. While Judaism teaches that every person can speak to God at any point, in any language, using whatever words they wish, Psalms provide an ancient, time-tested conduit to reach out and connect to God, using beautiful verses that our ancestors recited during their most intimate and vulnerable moments of communing with their Creator.

Who Wrote The Book of Psalms?

King David wrote the vast majority of the 150 prayers that make up the Book of Psalms. (A few were written by earlier figures including Adam, Moses, King Solomon, an ancient Temple official named Asaf; King David incorporated these earlier prayers into his complete work.)

Born 3,000 years ago in the city of Bethlehem, David began life as a poor shepherd, the youngest and least respected son in his large family. A gifted musician, when he was still a child David was invited to play for King Saul, the monarch he would one day succeed. David rose to fame in ancient Israel when he defeated the Philistine general Goliath. King Saul placed David in his army, and David honed his skill as one of Israel’s most formidable warriors.

Eventually, King Saul began to fear that David would overthrow him, and relentlessly pursued David, seeking to kill him. The Torah describes that even though the house of Saul was now his sworn enemy, David became best friends with King Saul’s son Jonathan. David knew the terror of being pursued, of hiding in a cave, and also of being separated from his best friend. Throughout all his compelling adventures, David wrote verses in which he expressed his intense emotions and longings to God, the foundation of Psalms today.

King David was crowned king of Israel after Saul’s death. (Portions of his 3,000 year old palace are still visible today in the Old City of Jerusalem.) King David secured Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city. He lived a long life filled with pride, frustration, regret, unfilled dreams, and great accomplishments. Like many of us, he knew both great triumphs and terrible disappointments. He continued writing prayers reflecting his hopes and fears, joys and sorrows.

King David bequeathed us his beautiful words that form a part of our collective Jewish heritage.

When do we say Psalms?

Many Jews have the custom to recite a portion of the Book of Psalms every day. In addition, certain Psalms are sung on special Jewish occasions such as Rosh Chodesh (the New Month), before reciting the Grace after Meals, on Shabbat, etc. Psalms can be sung or recited, either together with a group or alone.

During times of trouble, many Jews pick up the Book of Psalms and turn to various chapters that address sorrow and fear. These time-worn words give voice to many of our deepest emotions, and allow our words to blend with the prayers of countless Jews who’ve lived before us and sought connection and consolations, as well.

Before delving into these three Psalms I want to share with you an Instagram post that is going around.

In times of incredible suffering, it is difficult to know with certainty what God expects from us, but on the other hand, here what the soldiers who are on the front expect from us. I am forwarding to you the English translation of a letter from a soldier in Gaza:

Today our hearts beat with fear. Who among us is going to die? And who will return safe and sound?

We are your messengers in battle. We fight so that you can live in peace with your children. So you can stay alive. We are your protection. Will you be one of us? We go on this dangerous mission knowing that some of us will not return, but will ascent to heaven, as Eliyahu the prophet did.

We go there with devotion and dedication.

We ask you to be our protection through your prayers. Protect us by going beyond yourselves through spirituality and good deeds.

Pray for us. Pray that you will not see another mother bury her son. Pray that you will not see our women as widows raising our children in tears. Pray that our children will grow up knowing who their fathers are. Pray that we eliminate the terrorists who aim to destroy us, and that we do not harm innocent women and children.

Please, we implore you, as you read this, don’t just move on to the next thing you do. Say a chapter Psalms. Awaken King David to ask the Almighty for full redemption and peace for the whole world. Take upon yourself another good deed.

And pass this on. I am sure your prayer will make a difference. Remember, we are all in this together. We are on the front lines with weapons and you fight with us in your prayers. Every word of your prayer gives us strength, protection and success.

With Israel at war, the entire Jewish people are uniting to pray for safety and victory. Here are three Psalms that are traditionally said in times when the Nation of Israel is under attack: Psalm 83, Psalm 130, and Psalm 142.

Psalm 83

This Psalm was written by Asaf, a Levite worker in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. In it, he describes how all the nations of the world unite in hatred of what Israel stands for: the sovereignty of God over man.

Asaf describes many of the historic enemies of the Jews, who tried to exterminate our people: the Edomites, Ishmaelites, Hagrites, the nation of Moab, Amalek, and others. The Psalm then asks God to destroy our enemies just as he destroyed them. MIdian, for instance, was an implacable foe of the Jewish people until God ordered the Israelites to fight and destroy them. Sisera was a Canaanite general who terrorized the Jews until he was defeated in battle by an army led by Jewish heroes Deborah and Barak, and then was killed by the Jewish heroine Yael.

Reciting this Psalm channels some of the greatest military triumphs of ancient Jewish history, and asks God to give us similar victories today.

שִׁ֖יר מִזְמ֣וֹר לְאָסָֽף׃
A song, a psalm of Asaph.

אֱלֹהִ֥ים אַל־דֳּמִי־לָ֑ךְ אַל־תֶּחֱרַ֖שׁ וְאַל־תִּשְׁקֹ֣ט אֵֽל׃
O God, do not be silent; do not hold aloof; do not be quiet, O God!

כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֣ה א֭וֹיְבֶיךָ יֶהֱמָי֑וּן וּ֝מְשַׂנְאֶ֗יךָ נָ֣שְׂאוּ רֹֽאשׁ׃
For Your enemies rage, Your foes assert themselves.

עַֽל־עַ֭מְּךָ יַעֲרִ֣ימוּ ס֑וֹד וְ֝יִתְיָעֲצ֗וּ עַל־צְפוּנֶֽיךָ׃
They plot craftily against Your people, take counsel against Your treasured ones.

אָמְר֗וּ לְ֭כוּ וְנַכְחִידֵ֣ם מִגּ֑וֹי וְלֹֽא־יִזָּכֵ֖ר שֵֽׁם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל עֽוֹד׃
They say, “Let us wipe them out as a nation; Israel’s name will be mentioned no more.”

כִּ֤י נוֹעֲצ֣וּ לֵ֣ב יַחְדָּ֑ו עָ֝לֶ֗יךָ בְּרִ֣ית יִכְרֹֽתוּ׃
Unanimous in their counsel they have made an alliance against You—

אׇהֳלֵ֣י אֱ֭דוֹם וְיִשְׁמְעֵאלִ֗ים מוֹאָ֥ב וְהַגְרִֽים׃
the clans of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,

גְּבָ֣ל וְ֭עַמּוֹן וַעֲמָלֵ֑ק פְּ֝לֶ֗שֶׁת עִם־יֹ֥שְׁבֵי צֽוֹר׃
Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;

גַּם־אַ֭שּׁוּר נִלְוָ֣ה עִמָּ֑ם הָ֤יֽוּ זְר֖וֹעַ לִבְנֵי־ל֣וֹט סֶֽלָה׃
Assyria too joins forces with them; they give support to the sons of Lot. Selah.

עֲשֵֽׂה־לָהֶ֥ם כְּמִדְיָ֑ן כְּֽסִיסְרָ֥א כְ֝יָבִ֗ין בְּנַ֣חַל קִישֽׁוֹן׃
Deal with them as You did with Midian, with Sisera, with Jabin, at the brook Kishon—

נִשְׁמְד֥וּ בְֽעֵין־דֹּ֑אר הָ֥יוּ דֹ֝֗מֶן לָאֲדָמָֽה׃
who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the field.

שִׁיתֵ֣מוֹ נְ֭דִיבֵימוֹ כְּעֹרֵ֣ב וְכִזְאֵ֑ב וּֽכְזֶ֥בַח וּ֝כְצַלְמֻנָּ֗ע כׇּל־נְסִיכֵֽימוֹ׃
Treat their great men like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָ֭מְרוּ נִ֣ירְשָׁה לָּ֑נוּ אֵ֝֗ת נְא֣וֹת אֱלֹהִֽים׃
who said, “Let us take the meadows of God as our possession.”

אֱֽלֹהַ֗י שִׁיתֵ֥מוֹ כַגַּלְגַּ֑ל כְּ֝קַ֗שׁ לִפְנֵי־רֽוּחַ׃
O my God, make them like thistledown, like stubble driven by the wind.

כְּאֵ֥שׁ תִּבְעַר־יָ֑עַר וּ֝כְלֶהָבָ֗ה תְּלַהֵ֥ט הָרִֽים׃
As a fire burns a forest, as flames scorch the hills,

כֵּ֭ן תִּרְדְּפֵ֣ם בְּסַעֲרֶ֑ךָ וּבְסוּפָתְךָ֥ תְבַהֲלֵֽם׃
pursue them with Your tempest, terrify them with Your storm.

מַלֵּ֣א פְנֵיהֶ֣ם קָל֑וֹן וִיבַקְשׁ֖וּ שִׁמְךָ֣ יְהֹוָֽה׃
Cover their faces with shame so that they seek Your name, O LORD.

יֵבֹ֖שׁוּ וְיִבָּהֲל֥וּ עֲדֵי־עַ֗ד וְֽיַחְפְּר֥וּ וְיֹאבֵֽדוּ׃
May they be frustrated and terrified, disgraced and doomed forever.

וְֽיֵדְע֗וּ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֬ה שִׁמְךָ֣ יְהֹוָ֣ה לְבַדֶּ֑ךָ עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן עַל־כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ {פ}
May they know that Your name, Yours alone, is the LORD, supreme over all the earth.

Psalm 130

This beautiful Psalm is one of the most famous Jewish prayers. It’s typically recited during the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and describes a feeling of reaching out to God even though He feels so very far away.

The great Jewish sage Rashi noted the curious repetition of the phrase “watchman (looking) for the morning.” This refers to keeping up our hope that dawn, symbolizing better times, will indeed come, even though we might have had our hopes raised only to be dashed before. No matter how many times we’ve been disappointed, we have to keep believing that our situations will improve.

שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֑וֹת מִמַּעֲמַקִּ֖ים קְרָאתִ֣יךָ יְהֹוָֽה׃
A song of ascents. Out of the depths I call You, O LORD.

אֲדֹנָי֮ שִׁמְעָ֢ה בְק֫וֹלִ֥י תִּהְיֶ֣ינָה אׇ֭זְנֶיךָ קַשֻּׁב֑וֹת לְ֝ק֗וֹל תַּחֲנוּנָֽי׃
O Lord, listen to my cry; let Your ears be attentive to my plea for mercy.

אִם־עֲוֺנ֥וֹת תִּשְׁמׇר־יָ֑הּ אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י מִ֣י יַעֲמֹֽד׃
If You keep account of sins, O LORD, Lord, who will survive?

כִּֽי־עִמְּךָ֥ הַסְּלִיחָ֑ה לְ֝מַ֗עַן תִּוָּרֵֽא׃
Yours is the power to forgive so that You may be held in awe.

קִוִּ֣יתִי יְ֭הֹוָה קִוְּתָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֑י וְֽלִדְבָר֥וֹ הוֹחָֽלְתִּי׃
I look to the LORD; I look to Him; I await His word.

נַפְשִׁ֥י לַאדֹנָ֑י מִשֹּׁמְרִ֥ים לַ֝בֹּ֗קֶר שֹׁמְרִ֥ים לַבֹּֽקֶר׃
I am more eager for the Lord than watchmen for the morning, watchmen for the morning.

יַחֵ֥ל יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶל־יְ֫הֹוָ֥ה כִּֽי־עִם־יְהֹוָ֥ה הַחֶ֑סֶד וְהַרְבֵּ֖ה עִמּ֣וֹ פְדֽוּת׃
O Israel, wait for the LORD; for with the LORD is steadfast love and great power to redeem.

וְ֭הוּא יִפְדֶּ֣ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מִ֝כֹּ֗ל עֲוֺנֹתָֽיו׃ {פ}
It is He who will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.

Psalm 142

As he ran from the murderous King Saul, King David fled from place to place, never finding any rest. Eventually, he found refuge in a dark and lonely cave in the region of Adullam. It must have been terrifying to hide there, utterly alone, physically uncomfortable, worrying that at any moment, death would come for him. (Eventually, many other desperate people joined David in his hiding spot; see 1 Samuel 22:1 for a moving description of how this band of dejected and persecuted people came together, with David as their leader.)

The word “maskil” in this Psalm means an illumination. While many Psalms introduce themselves as a “song,” this one describes itself as a text that can illuminate a deep truth to all who join their voices with its powerful words of anguish and hope.

מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְדָוִ֑ד בִּֽהְיוֹת֖וֹ בַמְּעָרָ֣ה תְפִלָּֽה׃
A maskil of David, while he was in the cave. A prayer.

ק֭וֹלִי אֶל־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֶזְעָ֑ק ק֝וֹלִ֗י אֶל־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֶתְחַנָּֽן׃
I cry aloud to the LORD; I appeal to the LORD loudly for mercy.

אֶשְׁפֹּ֣ךְ לְפָנָ֣יו שִׂיחִ֑י צָ֝רָתִ֗י לְפָנָ֥יו אַגִּֽיד׃
I pour out my complaint before Him; I lay my trouble before Him

בְּהִתְעַטֵּ֬ף עָלַ֨י ׀ רוּחִ֗י וְאַתָּה֮ יָדַ֢עְתָּ נְֽתִיבָ֫תִ֥י בְּאֹֽרַח־ז֥וּ אֲהַלֵּ֑ךְ טָמְנ֖וּ פַ֣ח לִֽי׃
when my spirit fails within me. You know my course; they have laid a trap in the path I walk.

הַבֵּ֤יט יָמִ֨ין ׀ וּרְאֵה֮ וְאֵֽין־לִ֢י מַ֫כִּ֥יר אָבַ֣ד מָנ֣וֹס מִמֶּ֑נִּי אֵ֖ין דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃
Look at my right and see— I have no friend; there is nowhere I can flee, no one cares about me.

זָעַ֥קְתִּי אֵלֶ֗יךָ יְ֫הֹוָ֥ה אָ֭מַרְתִּי אַתָּ֣ה מַחְסִ֑י חֶ֝לְקִ֗י בְּאֶ֣רֶץ הַחַיִּֽים׃
So I cry to You, O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, all I have in the land of the living.”

הַקְשִׁ֤יבָה ׀ אֶֽל־רִנָּתִי֮ כִּֽי־דַלּ֢וֹתִ֫י מְאֹ֥ד הַצִּילֵ֥נִי מֵרֹדְפַ֑י כִּ֖י אָמְצ֣וּ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
Listen to my cry, for I have been brought very low; save me from my pursuers, for they are too strong for me.

ה֘וֹצִ֤יאָה מִמַּסְגֵּ֨ר ׀ נַפְשִׁי֮ לְהוֹד֢וֹת אֶת־שְׁ֫מֶ֥ךָ בִּ֭י יַכְתִּ֣רוּ צַדִּיקִ֑ים כִּ֖י תִגְמֹ֣ל עָלָֽי׃ {פ}
Free me from prison, that I may praise Your name. The righteous shall glory in me for Your gracious dealings with me.

https://www.sefaria.org/Psalms

Today, with Israel and the Jewish people under attack, the timeless words of the Psalms can help you formulate your prayers and storm the heavens asking for help. Every prayer makes a difference.