Tehillim — the Psalms of King David

What is Tehillim?

Tehillim (Hebrew תְּהִלִּים, “praises”) is the book of Psalms of King David, one of the books of Ketuvim, the third section of the Tanakh. It has 150 chapters divided into five books. Tehillim is read every day, in hard times, during illness and on special days of the year.

Tehillim, Tehilim or Tillim?

All three are the same Hebrew word, תהילים. The spellings differ because Hebrew is transliterated in different ways: Tehillim marks the doubled l, Tehilim does not, and Tillim is the Ashkenazi pronunciation. This site writes Tehillim.

How many chapters are there in Tehillim, and how are they divided?

Tehillim has 150 chapters in five books: the first is chapters 1–41, the second 42–72, the third 73–89, the fourth 90–106 and the fifth 107–150. On this page the chapters are grouped by book, and each book can be read in order.

How is Tehillim read?

Before the chapters, one says three opening verses, Tehillim 95:1–3, and after them three closing verses: Tehillim 14:7 and 37:39–40. The Sages compare this to coming before a king: first one greets him, and only then makes a request. What is read on Rosh Chodesh, on Shabbat and on Yom Kippur is explained on the page “How to Read Tehillim”.

When is Tehillim read? May it be read at night?

Tehillim is read during daylight hours. Many poskim, among them the Chida and the Ben Ish Chai, advise against reading the Tanakh, Tehillim included, after dark on weekdays. Whoever did not manage to read during the day may read after midnight (chatzot); its time depends on the length of the day, so it is best checked in a halachic calendar. On the night of Shabbat and Yom Tov, Tehillim may be read.

What is “Today’s Tehillim”?

It is the day’s portion in the custom of reading the whole book over a month. Each day of the Jewish month has its own chapters: on the 1st, chapters 1–9; on the 2nd, 10–17; and so on up to the 30th, chapters 145–150. In a month of 29 days, chapters 140–150 are read on the last day. The “Today’s Tehillim” block on this page shows the chapters for the current day of the Jewish calendar. There is also an order for reading the whole book in a week: see the tables.

Which chapter is read according to one’s age?

The chapter whose number is the years completed plus one: at 30, chapter 31. It is read on Rosh Chodesh, during illness and in hard times, and many read it every day for their children and relatives.

Which Tehillim are read for someone who is ill?

Chapter 119 has 22 sections, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. By a segulah of the Chida, one reads the sections of chapter 119 that match the letters of the sick person’s Hebrew name, then those of the words קרע שטן. After that, chapters 20, 121 and 130 are read, and finally the chapter for their age. Chapters for other situations are collected on the page “Tehillim for All Troubles”.

Can Tehillim be read on a phone without internet?

Yes. In the free Sila Tehilim app for iPhone and Android, all 150 chapters, in Hebrew with translation and transliteration, are available offline, with no sign-up and no ads.