Daily Tehillim: Day 14

Prayer before Tehillim on a Weekday

May it be the will before You, Hashem, our G-d, and the G-d of our forefathers, Who chose David His servant and his offspring after him, and Who chose songs and praises - that you attend with mercy to the recitation of psalms that I shall merit and consider it as if they were recited by King David, of blessed memory, himself, may his merit be a shield over us. And stand in our favor may the merit of the verses of the psalms together with the merit of their words and their letters and their vowels and their cantilations, and together with the Holy Names that are formed from them, from the initial (letters) of the words and from the final (letters) of the words - may their merit serve to bring atonement for our transgressions, iniquities, and sins, and to cut down ruthless men, and slash away all the thorns and briars which surround the Rose, Celestial; and to unite the Bride of Youth with her Beloved in love, brotherhood, and companionship. And from that (unification) may be drawn to us an abundant blessing to our spirit, breath and soul, to purify us of our iniquities, to forgive our sins and to atone for our transgressions, just as You forgave David who recited these very same psalms before You - as it is said: Hashem also has forgiven your sin, you shall not die. May you not take us from This World before our time, until the completion of our years, (among them are seventy years,) in a manner that we be able to rectify anything that we have ruined. May the merit of King David, of blessed memory, shield over us and for us; that You may be patient (with us), (and wait) until we return to You in repentance that is complete before You. From your treasury of grace that is undeserved, be gracious to us - as it is written: I am Compassionate to those whom I favor, and I am Merciful to those upon whom I have mercy. And just as we recite before You a song in This World, so let us merit to recite before You - O Hashem, our G-d - songs and praises in the World to Come. And through the recitation of the psalms arouse the Rose of Sharon to sing with a voice that is pleasant, with ecstasy and joy. May the glory of the Levanon be given to her, majesty and splendor in the House of our G-d, speedily in our days. Amein. Selah!

Before Saying Tehillim it is customary to say these Three Verses

Come! Let us sing joyfully to Hashem, let us call out to the Rock of our Salvation,
Let us greet Him with thanksgiving, with praiseful songs let us call out to Him.
For a great G-d is Hashem, and a great King above all heavenly powers.

1. A Psalm for Solomon. Give the king your judgments, O God, and your righteousness to the king’s son.
2. That he may judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with judgment.
3. Let the mountains bring peace to the people, and the hills, by righteousness.
4. May he judge the poor of the people, may he save the children of the needy, and may he break in pieces the oppressor.
5. May they fear you as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
6. May he come down like rain that falls on the mown grass; like showers that water the earth.
7. Let the righteous flourish in his days; and let there be abundance of peace till the moon is no more.
8. May he have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.
9. Let those who dwell in the wilderness bow down before him; and let his enemies lick the dust.
10. May the kings of Tarshish and of the islands bring presents; may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
11. And may all kings fall down before him; may all nations serve him.
12. For he shall save the needy when he calls; the poor also, and him who has no helper.
13. He will spare the poor and needy, and will save the souls of the needy.
14. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence; and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
15. Long may he live, and may the gold of Sheba be given to him; may prayer be made for him continually; and may he daily be blessed.
16. May there be abundance of grain in the land, may it wave on the tops of the mountains; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may the men of the city flourish like grass of the earth.
17. May his name endure for ever; may his name be continued as long as the sun; may men be blessed in him; may all nations call him happy.
18. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.
19. And blessed be his glorious name for ever; and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
20. The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

1. A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are of a clean heart.
2. But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well near slipped.
3. For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4. For there are no pangs in their death; their body is firm.
5. They are not in trouble like other men; nor are they plagued like other men.
6. Therefore arrogance is their necklace; violence covers them like a garment.
7. Their eyes stand out with fatness; they have more than heart could wish.
8. They scoff, and speak wickedly; concerning oppression they speak loftily.
9. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.
10. (K) Therefore his people return here; and abundant waters are drained out by them.
11. And they say, How does God know? And is there knowledge in the most High?.
12. Behold, these are the wicked, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
13. Truly I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
14. For all the day long have I been stricken, and chastened every morning.
15. If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of your children.
16. When I pondered how I might understand this, it was too wearisome for me;.
17. Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.
18. Surely you set them in slippery places; you cast them down into ruin.
19. How are they brought into desolation in a moment, utterly consumed with terrors!.
20. As a dream when one awakes; so, O Lord, when you awake, you shall despise their image.
21. When my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my insides.
22. I was foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before you.
23. Nevertheless I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
24. You shall guide me with your counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory.
25. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is none on earth that I desire beside you.
26. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
27. For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you have destroyed all those who go astray from you.
28. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may declare all your works.

1. A Maskil of Asaph. O God, why have you cast us off for ever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
2. Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old; the tribe of your inheritance, which you have redeemed; this Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.
3. Lift up your feet to the perpetual desolations; the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary.
4. Your enemies roar in the midst of your congregations; they set up their own signs for signs.
5. They are known as swingers of axes in the thick forest.
6. But now they break down its carved work altogether with axes and hammers.
7. They have burned with fire your sanctuary, they have defiled the dwelling place of your name.
8. They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together; they have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.
9. We do not see our signs; there is no prophet any longer; nor is there among us any who knows how long. 10. O God, how long shall the adversary taunt? Shall the enemy blaspheme your name for ever?
11. Why do you withdraw your hand, your right hand? Take it out of your bosom!
12. For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13. You parted the sea by your strength; you broke the heads of the crocodiles in the waters.
14. You crushed the heads of Leviathan, and gave him for food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
15. You cleaved open springs and brooks; you dried up ever flowing streams.
16. The day is yours, the night also is yours; you have prepared the light and the sun.
17. You have set all the borders of the earth; you have made summer and winter.
18. Remember this, how the enemy has insulted, O Lord, and how a base people have blasphemed your name.
19. O do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts; do not forget the congregation of your poor for ever.
20. Look upon the covenant; for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.
21. O let not the oppressed return ashamed; let the poor and needy praise your name.
22. Arise, O God, plead your own cause; remember how the villain insults you daily.
23. Do not forget the voice of your enemies; the tumult of those who rise up against you increases continually.

1. To the chief Musician, Altaschith, A Psalm Song of Asaph.
2. To you, O God, we give thanks, to you we give thanks; men declare your wondrous works.
3. Surely at the set time which I appoint I will judge with equity.
4. When the earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved, I bear up its pillars. Selah.
5. I said to the boastful, Do not boast; and to the wicked, Do not lift up your horn;.
6. Lift not up your horn on high; speak not with an insolent neck.
7. For judgment comes not from the east, nor from the west, nor from the mountains of the desert.
8. But God is the judge; he puts down one, and sets up another.
9. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, with foaming wine; it is well mixed; and he pours from it; but the wicked of the earth shall drink and drain it to the dregs.
10. But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
11. And all the horns of the wicked will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

1. To the chief Musician for stringed instruments, A Psalm Song of Asaph.
2. In Judah is God known; his name is great in Israel.
3. And in Salem is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place is in Zion.
4. There he broke the flashing arrows, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah.
5. You are more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.
6. The stouthearted are bereft of reason, they have slept their sleep; and none of the men of might have found their hands.
7. At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, he is put to sleep, together with chariot and horse.
8. You, awesome are you! And who can stand in your sight when once your anger is aroused?.
9. You caused judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still,.
10. When God arose to judgment, to save all the humble of the earth. Selah.
11. Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; you will gird yourself with the remainder of wrath.
12. Make a vow, and pay to the Lord your God; let all who are around him bring presents to him who is to be feared.
13. He shall cut off the spirit of princes; he is awesome to the kings of the earth.

May it be the will before You, Hashem, our G-d, and the G-d of our forefathers, Who chose David His servant and his offspring after him, and Who chose songs and praises - that you attend with mercy to the recitation of psalms that I shall merit and consider it as if they were recited by King David, of blessed memory, himself, may his merit be a shield over us. And stand in our favor may the merit of the verses of the psalms together with the merit of their words and their letters and their vowels and their cantilations, and together with the Holy Names that are formed from them, from the initial (letters) of the words and from the final (letters) of the words - may their merit serve to bring atonement for our transgressions, iniquities, and sins, and to cut down ruthless men, and slash away all the thorns and briars which surround the Rose, Celestial; and to unite the Bride of Youth with her Beloved in love, brotherhood, and companionship. And from that (unification) may be drawn to us an abundant blessing to our spirit, breath and soul, to purify us of our iniquities, to forgive our sins and to atone for our transgressions, just as You forgave David who recited these very same psalms before You - as it is said: Hashem also has forgiven your sin, you shall not die. May you not take us from This World before our time, until the completion of our years, (among them are seventy years,) in a manner that we be able to rectify anything that we have ruined. May the merit of King David, of blessed memory, shield over us and for us; that You may be patient (with us), (and wait) until we return to You in repentance that is complete before You. From your treasury of grace that is undeserved, be gracious to us - as it is written: I am Compassionate to those whom I favor, and I am Merciful to those upon whom I have mercy. And just as we recite before You a song in This World, so let us merit to recite before You - O Hashem, our G-d - songs and praises in the World to Come. And through the recitation of the psalms arouse the Rose of Sharon to sing with a voice that is pleasant, with ecstasy and joy. May the glory of the Levanon be given to her, majesty and splendor in the House of our G-d, speedily in our days. Amein. Selah! Come! Let us sing joyfully to Hashem, let us call out to the Rock of our Salvation, Let us greet Him with thanksgiving, with praiseful songs let us call out to Him. For a great G-d is Hashem, and a great King above all heavenly powers.