Prayer for Healing: Chapters 6, 20, 30, 41, 88, 91, 121

Tehillim 6 (פרק ו) Theme: Deep cry for mercy, healing, and relief from suffering.
When said: In times of illness or weakness, when asking Hashem for personal or a loved one’s healing.

Tehillim 20 (פרק כ) Theme: Trust in Hashem’s help in times of distress.
When said: Before important undertakings, during trouble, or for someone facing challenges (health, livelihood, danger). It is often recited communally.

Tehillim 30 (פרק ל) Theme: Gratitude and renewal after being saved from difficulty.
When said: By those recovering from sickness, hardships, or as thanks after miracles. Some recite it daily as a song of thanks.

Tehillim 41 (פרק מא) Theme: Hashem rewards those who care for the sick and helps them in their own time of need.
When said: When visiting or praying for the sick, and also for compassion when one feels abandoned.

Tehillim 88 (פרק פח) Theme: A cry from the depths of darkness, describing feelings of isolation and despair.
When said: In moments of great suffering, depression, or when one feels completely surrounded by hardship.

Tehillim 91 (פרק צא) Theme: Hashem’s protection from harm and danger.
When said: For safety and security, especially when traveling, during dangerous times, or for soldiers and first responders. Some keep it in the home for protection.

Tehillim 121 (פרק קכא) Theme: Trust that all help comes from Hashem alone.
When said: For safe journeys, general protection, and when facing uncertainty. It’s one of the most popular perakim for strength and reassurance.

Together, these seven chapters are like a toolkit of prayers for healing, protection, gratitude, and strength in life’s hardest moments.

Psalms, Chapter 6 תהילים פרק ו

For the conductor, with stringed instruments, on the sheminith. A psalm of David. | לַמְנַצֵּחַ בִּנְגִינוֹת עַל הַשְּׁמִינִית מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד
O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, and do not chastise me in Your wrath. | יְהוָה אַל בְּאַפְּךָ תוֹכִיחֵנִי וּבַחֲמָתְךָ תְיַסְּרֵנִי
Be gracious to me, O Lord, because I languish; heal me, | חָנֵּנִי יְהוָה כִּי אֻמְלַל אָנִי רְפָאֵנִי יְהוָה כִּי נִבְהֲלוּ עֲצָמָי O Lord, because my bones are terrified.

And my soul is very frightened, and You, O Lord, how long? | וְנַפְשִׁי נִבְהֲלָה מְאֹד וְאַתָּה יְהוָה עַד מָתָי
Return, O Lord, rescue my soul; save me for the sake of Your kindness. | שׁוּבָה יְהוָה חַלְּצָה נַפְשִׁי הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי לְמַעַן חַסְדֶּךָ
For there is no memory of You in death; in the grave who will thank You? | כִּי אֵין בַּמָּוֶת זִכְרֶךָ בִּשְׁאוֹל מִי יוֹדֶה לָּךְ
I am wearied with my sighing; every night I cause my bed to swim, | יָגַעְתִּי בְּאַנְחָתִי אַשְׂחֶה בְכָל לַיְלָה מִטָּתִי בְּדִמְעָתִי עַרְשִׂי אַמְסֶה

I melt my couch with my tears.

My eye is dimmed from anger; it has aged because of all my adversaries. | עָשְׁשָׁה מִכַּעַס עֵינִי עָתְקָה בְּכָל צוֹרְרָי
Turn away from me, all you workers of iniquity, | סוּרוּ מִמֶּנִּי כָּל פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן כִּי שָׁמַע יְהוָה קוֹל בִּכְיִי for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.

The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord has accepted my prayer. | שָׁמַע יְהוָה תְּחִנָּתִי יְהוָה תְּפִלָּתִי יִקָּח

All my enemies shall be ashamed and very frightened; | יֵבֹשׁוּ וְיִבָּהֲלוּ מְאֹד כָּל אֹיְבָי יָשֻׁבוּ יֵבֹשׁוּ רָגַע

they shall return and be ashamed in a moment.

Psalms, Chapter 20 תהילים פרק כ

For the conductor, a psalm of David. | לַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד
May the Lord answer you on the day of trouble. | יַעַנְךָ יְהוָה בְּיוֹם צָרָה יְשַׂגֶּבְךָ שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב May the name of the God of Jacob set you on high.

May He send your help from the sanctuary and support you from Zion. | יִשְׁלַח עֶזְרְךָ מִקֹּדֶשׁ וּמִצִּיּוֹן יִסְעָדֶךָ
May He remember all your offerings and accept your burnt offerings. Selah. | יִזְכֹּר כָּל מִנְחֹתֶךָ וְעוֹלָתְךָ יְדַשְּׁנָה סֶלָה
May He grant you what your heart desires and fulfill all your plans. | יִתֶּן לְךָ כִלְבָבֶךָ וְכָל עֲצָתְךָ יְמַלֵּא
We will sing for joy at your salvation, and in the name of our God | נְרַנְּנָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ וּבְשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵינוּ נִדְגֹּל יְמַלֵּא יְהוָה כָּל מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶיךָ we will raise a banner. May the Lord fulfill all your requests.

Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed. | עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי הוֹשִׁיעַ יְהוָה מְשִׁיחוֹ יַעֲנֵהוּ מִשְּׁמֵי קָדְשׁוֹ בִּגְבֻרוֹת יֵשַׁע יְמִינוֹ

He answers him from His holy heavens with the

mighty acts of the salvation of His right hand.

These rely on chariots and these on horses, | אֵלֶּה בָרֶכֶב וְאֵלֶּה בַסּוּסִים וַאֲנַחְנוּ בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ נַזְכִּיר but we call upon the name of the Lord our God.

They slump and fall, but we rise and stand firm. | הֵמָּה כָּרְעוּ וְנָפָלוּ וַאֲנַחְנוּ קַּמְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָד
O Lord, save. May the King answer us on the day we call. | יְהוָה הוֹשִׁיעָה הַמֶּלֶךְ יַעֲנֵנוּ בְּיוֹם קָרְאֵנוּ

Psalms, Chapter 30 תהילים פרק ל

A psalm, a song for the dedication of the House. Of David. | מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר חֲנֻכַּת הַבַּיִת לְדָוִד
I will exalt You, LORD, for You have drawn me up | אֲרוֹמִמְךָ יְהוָה כִּי דִלִּיתָנִי וְלֹא שִׂמַּחְתָּ אֹיְבַי לִי

and have not let my enemies rejoice over me.

LORD my God, I cried out to You and You healed me. | יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי שִׁוַּעְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵנִי

LORD, You brought up my soul from Sheol. You kept me alive, | יְהוָה הֶעֱלִיתָ מִשְּׁאוֹל נַפְשִׁי חִיִּיתַנִי מִיָּרְדִי בוֹר

from those descending to the pit.

Sing to the LORD, His faithful ones, and give thanks to His holy memorial. | זַמְּרוּ לַיהוָה חֲסִידָיו וְהוֹדוּ לְזֵכֶר קָדְשׁוֹ
For His anger is for a moment; His favor is for a lifetime. | כִּי רֶגַע בְּאַפּוֹ חַיִּים בִּרְצוֹנוֹ בָּעֶרֶב יָלִין בֶּכִי וְלַבֹּקֶר רִנָּה

Weeping may lodge at night, but joy comes in the morning.

As for me, I said in my ease, I will never be shaken. | וַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי בְשַׁלְוִי בַּל אֶמּוֹט לְעוֹלָם

LORD, by Your favor You made my mountain stand strong. | יְהוָה בִּרְצוֹנְךָ הֶעֱמַדְתָּ לְהַרְרִי עֹז הִסְתַּרְתָּ פָנֶיךָ הָיִיתִי נִבְהָל

You hid Your face; I was dismayed.

I called to You, LORD, and to the Lord I pleaded for mercy. | אֵלֶיךָ יְהוָה אֶקְרָא וְאֶל אֲדֹנָי אֶתְחַנָּן
What gain is there in my blood, in my going down to the pit? | מַה בֶּצַע בְּדָמִי בְּרִדְתִּי אֶל שָׁחַת הֲיוֹדְךָ עָפָר הֲיַגִּיד אֲמִתֶּךָ

Will the dust praise You? Will it tell of Your truth?

Hear, LORD, and be gracious to me. LORD, be my helper. | שְׁמַע יְהוָה וְחָנֵּנִי יְהוָה הֱיֵה עֹזֵר לִי

You turned my lament into dance for me. | הָפַכְתָּ מִסְפְּדִי לְמָחוֹל לִי פִּתַּחְתָּ שַׂקִּי וַתְּאַזְּרֵנִי שִׂמְחָה

You loosed my sackcloth and girded me with joy.

So that my glory may sing to You and not be silent. | לְמַעַן יְזַמֶּרְךָ כָבוֹד וְלֹא יִדֹּם יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי לְעוֹלָם אוֹדֶךָּ

LORD my God, I will thank You forever.