Grief and mourning: prayers in Judaism

Texts from their published editions. Guidance on what this tradition does at this moment is on the occasion page, and background on the tradition is at /traditions/jewish.

Texts from their published editions

Each text below was transcribed from the edition named under it and checked twice, independently, against that edition. Where the two transcriptions disagreed by even one character, the text is not shown here. That is a claim about wording only: these are not selected or endorsed for any particular situation, and nobody credentialed in the tradition has signed them. Older spelling is kept as the edition prints it.

Psalm 130 (JPS 1917)

A penitential Song of Ascents calling out from the depths. Recited in Jewish practice at times of crisis and serious illness, added to the daily service on the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in the Ashkenazi rite, and said communally for a person in danger.

English · The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text (JPS), 1917

Out of the depths have I called Thee, O LORD.

Lord, hearken unto my voice;

Let Thine ears be attentive

To the voice of my supplications.

If Thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities,

O Lord, who could stand?

For with Thee there is forgiveness,

That Thou mayest be feared.

I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait,

And in His word do I hope.

My soul waiteth for the Lord,

More than watchmen for the morning;

Yea, more than watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the LORD;

For with the LORD there is mercy,

And with Him is plenteous redemption.

And He will redeem Israel

From all his iniquities.

Jewish Publication Society of America, 1917. Published 1917, before 1929, US public domain. Source

Psalm 23 (JPS 1917)

A short psalm of trust attributed to David, widely used at funerals, at memorial gatherings and at the Sabbath afternoon meal in some communities. In Jewish use it is read in Hebrew from the Book of Psalms and is not tied to a fixed liturgical slot the way the fixed prayers are.

English · The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text (JPS), 1917

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;

He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul;

He guideth me in straight paths for His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

For Thou art with me;

Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;

Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;

And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Jewish Publication Society of America, 1917. Published 1917, before 1929, US public domain. Source

Nothing here has been signed by a reviewer credentialed in this tradition. When that happens, reviewed prayers appear above these, and these stay where they are, as an anthology. How that works.