About Tehilim
In the Language of Dovid Hamelech
The sefer תהילים, of which דוד המלך is considered to be its author, is part of the section of תנ”ך known as כתובים. It contains 150 kapitlach (chapters) of which only 73 are ascribed by name to Dovid Hamelech. The Gemara בבא בתרא י”ד teaches that some of the Psalms were written by others, including אדם הראשון, Moshe Rabbenu, and a number of Levi'im. The Gemara speaks of these men as "Asara Zekenim," ten great talmidei chachamim with ruach hakodesh which inspired them to compose these unique tefilos (prayers). Dovid Hamelech is nevertheless regarded as the collective mouthpiece of them all. Through his tehillim, we tell a listening creator of the world of His praise, our joy, our despair, our pain and our teshuva. Indeed, Tehillim provides an appropriate tefilah for every occasion, feeling and experience. The same book that is the source of the beautiful Hallel service recited on yom tov also contains tefilos for times of life-threatening situations. Tehillim shows how profoundly one's relationship to Hakodosh boruch Hu extends into each and every aspect of life, to every experience and situation a person confronts.
Tehilim is not only a statement of praise to Hashem, but also of faith and hope. A kappitel (chapter) often begins in a note of despair and ends with hope and joy, promising a better day tomorrow no matter how distraught we are today. In fact, it is virtually impossible not to find a chapter or two that resonates how each of us feels at any one particular time or situation. We know that we are not the first to feel as we do, that this is not the first time in human and Jewish history people have experienced these feelings, and that knowledge can give us hope and support. Above all, when we or someone we love is in pain, ill, threatened or in a crisis of doubt, we turn to Hashem and find the wonderful and healing words.The Zohar has this advice: "One who is wise should submit his prayers like Dovid Hamelech" , מאן הוא חכימא למתבע בעותא כדוד מלכא (Zohar, Vayikra). Through the millenia, Jews of all backgrounds have followed the advice of the Zohar to reach out to shamayim through the prayers of Dovid Hamelech.
The Chida, in his introduction to his commentary to Tehillim, Yosef Tehilot, emphasizes the importance of reciting Tehilim. He writes, "One who recites Tehillim each day is considered as though he fulfilled the entire Torah and merits a place beneath the Kisei Hakavod(Throne of Glory)… One who is accustomed to [reciting] Tehillim repels all kinds of calamities and several harmful plagues from him, his household, his family members, and his entire generation."
Rav Eliezer Papo of Sarajevo comments in his work Pele Yoetz: "There is a tradition from holy renowned men that one who confronts any hardship or distress, or who travels by road, at sea or in a river, should read the entire Tehillim each day without interruption, with concentration and submission, and he will experience wonders. This has been verified and proven."
Tehillim became an integral part of the avodah (service) of the Bais Hamikdash, which Shlomo Hamelech, Dovid’s son, built. The Leviim fulfilled their musical role in the avodah by their singing of Tehillim. They coordinated its recitation and singing with the avodah of the Kohanim. The gemarrah mentions that the fifteen Shir Hamaalos (120-134) for instance, were sung as they ascended the fifteen steps leading up to the azarah. The Leviim were accompanied in their singing by instruments. Each kappitel has indications of its musical accompaniment. Kapittel 150, refers to the instruments used as the Leviim sang the words. We are no longer certain of the identity of all these instruments, nor are we certain of the melodies, though it is possible that some niggunim are based on original songs from the bais hamikdash. Their eternal words, however, withstood all the tests of time.
After the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash, the chachamim upheld the hope of its rebuilding with help of Tehilim. While very little of the avodah of the kohanim could be replicated outside the bais hamikdash, besides Birchas Kohanim, tehillim offered an opportunity to maintain alive the memory of the avodah of the Leviim.
To get into the right frame of mind, Shma every morning is preceded by the recitation of Tehilim in the Psukei Dezimrah. People would read tehillim to fill up the time until it got light outside waiting to daven. On Shabbos, when davening starts later people often say few extra kappitlach. In the sixteenth century the mekubalim such as the Ari Hakadosh would welcome shabbos with Tehillim as well as with the beautiful poem Lecha Dodi composed by Rav Shlomo Alkabez. This has become our own Kabbalas Shabbos.
On Rosh Chodesh, Pesach, Shavuos, Sukkos, and Chanukah we recite Hallel which are chapters of Tehillim (113 to 118). On Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, days of judgment, Kapittel 27, L'Dovid Hashem Ori is said. On more personal occasions Tehillim is no less important – indeed it assumes unique prominence, because the agony and joy in the life of an individual or a family find such an echo in the words of Tehillim. In later generations, Chasidus attempted to lift the spirit of the Poshete Yid(simple pious Jew) and to implant within him the recognition that he can rise to the loftiest heights through the sincere recitation of Tehillim. In this vein, Chasiddus began Chevros Tehillim in every shul (synagogue), in which members would gather daily or weekly to recite Tehillim.
In addition to its role as an unequaled source of beautiful tefilos, Tehillim is worthy of intensive study no less than even the most intricate masechta of Gemarrah. David Hamelech asked that those reciting Tehilim receive the same reward as those studying Nega'im and Ohalos. David's vision for sefer Tehillim was that it would be come accepted both as a vehicle of tefilah and of limud (study).
We created this website to encourage both the recitation and study of Sefer Tehillim. The unparalleled power of its words will serve to illuminate, inspire, and unite Yidden all over the world. May our tefilos and study of Tehillim be lovingly accepted by Hakodosh Boruch Hu, and render us and all Klal Yisrael worthy of His brochos (blessings) and protection.
United We Daven