Daily Tehillim: Day 16

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 of Asaph. O God, nations have come into your inheritance; your holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.
2. The dead bodies of your servants have they given to be food to the birds of the sky, the flesh of your pious ones to the beasts of the earth.
3. Their blood have they shed like water around Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.
4. We have become a taunt to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to those who are around us.
5. How long, Lord? Will you be angry for ever? Shall your jealousy burn like fire?.
6. Pour out your wrath on the nations that have not known you, and on the kingdoms that have not called upon your name.
7. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.
8. O do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your tender mercies speedily come to meet us; for we are brought very low.
9. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; and save us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake.
10. Why should the nations say, Where is their God? let the revenging of the blood of your servants which is shed be made manifest among the nations, and before our eyes.
11. Let the groans of the prisoner come before you; according to the greatness of your power preserve those who are appointed to die;.
12. And render to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their insult, with which they have insulted you, O Lord.
13. So we your people and sheep of your pasture will give you thanks for ever; we will tell your praise to all generations.

1. To the chief Musician, according to Shoshannim, a Testimony, A Psalm of Asaph.
2. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock; you who are enthroned upon the kerubim, shine forth,.
3. Before Ephraim, and Benjamin, and Manasseh. Stir up your strength, and come and save us.
4. Restore, O God, and let your face shine; and we shall be saved.
5. O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry against the prayer of your people?.
6. You feed them with the bread of tears; and gives them tears to drink in great measure.
7. You make us a strife to our neighbors; and our enemies laugh among themselves.
8. Restore us, O God of hosts, and let your face shine; and we shall be saved.
9. You have brought a vine from Egypt; you have cast out the nations, and planted it.
10. You cleared a space for it, and you caused it to take deep root, and it filled the land.
11. The mountains were covered with its shade, and the mighty cedars with its boughs.
12. She sent out her boughs to the sea, and her branches to the river.
13. Why have you then broken down her hedges, so that all those who pass by the way pluck her fruit?.
14. The boar from the wood destroys it, and the wild beast of the field devours it.
15. Return, we beseech you, O God of hosts; look down from heaven, and behold, and have regard for this vine;.
16. And the vineyard which your right hand has planted, and the branch that you made strong for yourself.
17. It is burned with fire, it is cut down; they perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
18. Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, upon the son of a man whom you made strong for yourself.
19. Then we will never turn back from you; revive us, and we will call upon your name.
20. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts, let your face shine; and we shall be saved.

1. To the chief Musician, according to Gittit, A Psalm of Asaph.
2. Sing aloud to God our strength; make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob.
3. Raise a song, and beat the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp.
4. Blow a shofar at the new moon, at the full moon on our feast day.
5. For this is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
6. This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt. I heard the language of one whom I had not known,.
7. Saying, I removed his shoulder from the burden; his hands are freed from the basket.
8. You called in trouble, and I saved you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah.
9. Hear, O my people, and I will warn you, O Israel, if you will listen to me:.
10. There shall be no strange god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god.
11. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
12. But my people would not listen to my voice; and Israel would have none of me.
13. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, and they walked in their own counsels.
14. Oh that my people would listen to me, and that Israel would walk in my ways!.
15. I should soon subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their adversaries.
16. Let the haters of the Lord cringe before him, and their punishment should last for ever.
17. And he would feed him with the finest of the wheat; and I would satisfy you with honey from the rock.

1. A Psalm of Asaph. God stands in the congregation of God; he judges among the judges.
2. How long will you judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
3. Do justice to the poor and the orphan; vindicate the afflicted and needy.
4. Save the poor and needy; rescue them from the hand of the wicked.
5. They do not know, nor will they understand; they walk in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6. I have said, You are angels; and all of you are sons of the most High.
7. Nevertheless, you shall die like men, and fall like any prince.
8. Arise, O God, judge the earth; for to you shall all nations belong.

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.