10 Pesukim of Tehillim with “Or Panecha” for Drawing Down the Divine Light

10 Pesukim of Tehillim with “Or Panecha” for Drawing Down the Saving Divine Light

Ramchal, may his merit protect us, attached special significance to the concept of “Hester Panim” (the concealment of the Divine Countenance), when a person feels that the Almighty’s plans for him are hidden—as though (chas ve-shalom) the Kadosh Baruch Hu has turned away from him, leaving him in complete uncertainty. The Ramchal reveals that Tehillim 10 contains the power to reverse this situation. Rabbi Yehuda HaHasid writes in his famous “Sefer Hasidim” that the expression “Or Panecha” (the light of Your Countenance) appears 10 times in the Book of Tehillim. He connects this with what the Sages said: “During the 10 days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, if a candle lit by a person and placed in a sheltered, windless location does not go out, this is a sign that the person will live throughout that year.” (Tractate Horayot) “Or Panecha” is an image of the Divine light emanating from the Countenance of the Almighty, symbolizing Divine favor, mercy, and spiritual illumination. In the 19th blessing of the Amidah, “Sim Shalom”, we say: “Uvarecheinu Avinu kulanu ke’echad be-Or Panecha, ki ve-or Panecha natata lanu Ado-nai Eloheinu - Torah ve-chayim, ahavah va-chesed, tzedakah ve-rachamim, berachah ve-shalom...” — (and bless us, our Father, all of us as one, with the light of Your Countenance. For through the light of Your Countenance You have given us, L-rd our G-d, Torah and life, love and kindness, righteousness and mercy, blessing and peace...). When reciting these verses, it is good to have in mind the Holy Name אור פניאל - Or Pniel — the name of the Divine light that envelops a person; Or Panecha is closely connected with Or Pniel. How do we know this? From the account of Jacob’s struggle with Esau’s angel before dawn, for after Jacob defeated the angel, it is said: וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם, פְּנִיאֵל: כִּי-רָאִיתִי אֱלֹהִים פָּנִים אֶל-פָּנִים, וַתִּנָּצֵל נַפְשִׁי – “And Jacob named that place Pniel, for: ‘I have seen an angel of G-d face to face, and my life was spared.’” Jacob merited the Divine Light (Or Panecha) while face to face with the angel (Or Pniel). Therefore, when it seems to you that Hashem has turned away (chas ve-shalom), when you do not feel the presence of the Almighty in your life, and when your prayers receive no answer—recite the pesukim containing “Or Panecha” to draw Hashem’s Light into your life.  

Prayer for Drawing Down “Or Pniel”

1. First, recite Tehillim 10 according to the Ramchal, in order to remove “Hester Panim” (the concealment of the Divine Countenance); 2. Then recite 10 pesukim from Tehillim containing “Or Panecha” to draw down the saving Divine Light of “Or Pniel”: 1. Tehillim 4:7 רַבִּ֥ים אֹמְרִים֮ מִֽי־יַרְאֵ֪נ֫וּ ט֥וֹב נְֽסָה־עָ֭לֵינוּ א֨וֹר פָּנֶ֬יךָ יְהוָֽה - “Rabim omrim, mi yareinu tov, nasa aleinu Or Panecha Ado-nai” - (Many say: Who will show us goodness? Let the light of Your Countenance shine upon us, L-rd); 2. Tehillim 31:17 הָאִ֣ירָה פָ֭נֶיךָ עַל־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ ה֖וֹשִׁיעֵ֣נִי בְחַסְדֶּֽךָ׃ - “Ha’ir Panեcha al avdecha, hoshi’eini ve-chasdecha” - (Let Your Countenance shine upon Your servant; save me with Your kindness); 3. Tehillim 44:4 כִּ֤י לֹ֪א בְחַרְבָּ֡ם יָ֥רְשׁוּ אָ֗רֶץ וּזְרוֹעָם֮ לֹא־הוֹשִׁ֪יעָ֫ה לָּ֥מוֹ כִּֽי־יְמִֽינְךָ֣ וּ֭זְרוֹעֲךָ וְא֥וֹר פָּנֶ֗יךָ כִּ֣י רְצִיתָֽם׃ - “Ki lo ve-charbam yareshu aretz, u-zero’am lo hoshi’ah lamo, ki yeminecha u-zero’acha ve-Or Panecha ki retzitam” - (For not by their sword did they possess the land, nor did their arm save them, but Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your Countenance, for You favored them). 4. Tehillim 67:2 אֱלֹהִ֗ים יְחָנֵּ֥נוּ וִֽיבָרְכֵ֑נוּ יָ֤אֵ֥ר פָּנָ֖יו אִתָּ֣נוּ סֶֽלָה׃ - “Elohim yechanenu vi-varechenu, ya’er Panav itanu selah” - (May G-d be gracious to us and bless us; may He cause His Countenance to shine upon us. Selah);   5. Tehillim 80:4 אֱלֹהִ֥ים הֲשִׁיבֵ֑נוּ וְהָאֵ֥ר פָּ֝נֶ֗יךָ וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעָה׃ - “Elohim, hashivenu ve-ha’er Panecha ve-nivashe’ah” - (G-d, restore us and let Your Countenance shine, and we shall be saved! L-rd, G-d of Hosts);   6. Tehillim 80:8 אֱלֹהִ֣ים צְבָא֣וֹת הֲשִׁיבֵ֑נוּ וְהָאֵ֥ר פָּ֝נֶ֗יךָ וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעָה׃ - “Elohim Tzevaot, hashivenu, ve-ha’er Panecha ve-nivashe’ah” - (Restore us and let Your Countenance shine, and we shall be saved);   7. Tehillim 80:20 יְה֘וָ֤ה אֱלֹהִ֣ים צְבָא֣וֹת הֲשִׁיבֵ֑נוּ הָאֵ֥ר פָּ֝נֶ֗יךָ וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעָה׃ - “Ado-nai Elohim Tzevaot, hashivenu, ha’er Panecha ve-nivashe’ah” - (Restore us and let Your Countenance shine, and we shall be saved); 8. Tehillim 89:16  אשרי העם יודעי תרועה ה׳ באור פניך יהלכון – “Ashrei ha’am yode’ei teru’ah, Ado-nai be-Or Panecha yehalechun” – (Happy is the people who know the sound of the shofar. L-rd, they walk in the light of Your Countenance); 9. Tehillim 90:8 שת [שַׁתָּ֣ה] עֲוֺנֹתֵ֣ינוּ לְנֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ עֲ֝לֻמֵ֗נוּ לִמְא֥וֹר פָּנֶֽיךָ׃ - “Shata avonoteinu lenegdecha, alumenu li me-Or Panecha” - (You set our iniquities before You, our hidden sins before the light of Your Countenance); 10. Tehillim 119:135 פָּ֭נֶיךָ הָאֵ֣ר בְּעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝לַמְּדֵ֗נִי אֶת־חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃ - “Panecha ha’er be-avdecha, ve-lamdeni et chukecha” - (Let Your Countenance shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes).   (compiled by Silatehilim based on “Sefer Hasidim”)