Serious illness: 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 comes from the edition named under it and was checked twice, independently, before it appeared. Neither check was a person. Where the two 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. The full record, including the texts we held back because the two transcriptions disagreed, is at the verification record.

Psalm 13 (JPS 1917)

Six verses that begin with How long and end in trust. It is among the psalms customarily said for a person who is ill, and it is short enough to be said at a bedside.

English · The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text (JPS), 1917Checked against a second digitisation

For the Leader. A Psalm of David.

How long, O LORD, wilt Thou forget me for ever?

How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart by day?

How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

Behold Thou, and answer me, O LORD my God;

Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

Lest mine enemy say: 'I have prevailed against him';

Lest mine adversaries rejoice when I am moved.

But as for me, in Thy mercy do I trust;

My heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation.

I will sing unto the LORD,

Because He hath dealt bountifully with me.

Jewish Publication Society of America, 1917. Published 1917, before 1929, US public domain. Retrieved and verified 2026-09-17. Source

Out of copyright in the United States on the basis stated here, and free to reuse there. Please keep the citation with it.

Hebrew · Tanach with Nikkud, a digital edition of the Leningrad Codex, 2026Checked against a second encoding

לַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד׃

עַד־אָנָה יְהוָה תִּשְׁכָּחֵנִי נֶצַח עַד־אָנָה תַּסְתִּיר אֶת־פָּנֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי׃

עַד־אָנָה אָשִׁית עֵצוֹת בְּנַפְשִׁי יָגוֹן בִּלְבָבִי יוֹמָם עַד־אָנָה יָרוּם אֹיְבִי עָלָי׃

הַבִּיטָה עֲנֵנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהָי הָאִירָה עֵינַי פֶּן־אִישַׁן הַמָּוֶת׃

פֶּן־יֹאמַר אֹיְבִי יְכָלְתִּיו צָרַי יָגִילוּ כִּי אֶמּוֹט׃

וַאֲנִי בְּחַסְדְּךָ בָטַחְתִּי יָגֵל לִבִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ אָשִׁירָה לַיהוָה כִּי גָמַל עָלָי׃

Sefaria, from the Unicode/XML Leningrad Codex at tanach.us, 2026. Tanach.us states that all biblical Hebrew text on its site may be viewed or copied without restriction, and Sefaria labels this version Public Domain. Retrieved and verified 2026-09-17. Cite as: Psalms 13:1-6, Tanach with Nikkud, a digital edition of the Leningrad Codex, via Sefaria.org. Source

Out of copyright in the United States on the basis stated here, and free to reuse there. Please keep the citation with it.

This prayer’s own page · How this text was verified

Wording and scope vary between editions and between communities, so each edition here is named and this entry makes no claim about which form is right in a given setting. The English keeps the line breaks of one digitisation of the 1917 volume. The second, which it was checked against, stores each verse as running text, so it confirms the words and cannot confirm where a line ends.

Psalm 20 (JPS 1917)

A prayer that God answer in the day of trouble. It stands near the end of the weekday morning service, and it is customarily said for a person in danger, including for a woman in labour.

English · The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text (JPS), 1917Checked against a second digitisation

For the Leader. A Psalm of David.

The LORD answer thee in the day of trouble;

The name of the God of Jacob set thee up on high;

Send forth thy help from the sanctuary,

And support thee out of Zion;

Receive the memorial of all thy meal-offerings,

And accept the fat of thy burnt-sacrifice; Selah

Grant thee according to thine own heart,

And fulfil all thy counsel.

We will shout for joy in thy victory,

And in the name of our God we will set up our standards;

The LORD fulfil all thy petitions.

Now know I that the LORD saveth His anointed;

He will answer him from His holy heaven

With the mighty acts of His saving right hand.

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;

But we will make mention of the name of the LORD our God.

They are bowed down and fallen;

But we are risen, and stand upright.

Save, LORD;

Let the King answer us in the day that we call.

Jewish Publication Society of America, 1917. Published 1917, before 1929, US public domain. Retrieved and verified 2026-09-17. Source

Out of copyright in the United States on the basis stated here, and free to reuse there. Please keep the citation with it.

Hebrew · Tanach with Nikkud, a digital edition of the Leningrad Codex, 2026Checked against a second encoding

לַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד׃

יַעַנְךָ יְהוָה בְּיוֹם צָרָה יְשַׂגֶּבְךָ שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב׃

יִשְׁלַח־עֶזְרְךָ מִקֹּדֶשׁ וּמִצִּיּוֹן יִסְעָדֶךָּ׃

יִזְכֹּר כָּל־מִנְחֹתֶךָ וְעוֹלָתְךָ יְדַשְּׁנֶה סֶלָה׃

יִתֶּן־לְךָ כִלְבָבֶךָ וְכָל־עֲצָתְךָ יְמַלֵּא׃

נְרַנְּנָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ וּבְשֵׁם־אֱלֹהֵינוּ נִדְגֹּל יְמַלֵּא יְהוָה כָּל־מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶיךָ׃

עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי הוֹשִׁיעַ יְהוָה מְשִׁיחוֹ יַעֲנֵהוּ מִשְּׁמֵי קָדְשׁוֹ בִּגְבֻרוֹת יֵשַׁע יְמִינוֹ׃

אֵלֶּה בָרֶכֶב וְאֵלֶּה בַסּוּסִים וַאֲנַחְנוּ בְּשֵׁם־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ נַזְכִּיר׃

הֵמָּה כָּרְעוּ וְנָפָלוּ וַאֲנַחְנוּ קַּמְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָד׃

יְהוָה הוֹשִׁיעָה הַמֶּלֶךְ יַעֲנֵנוּ בְיוֹם־קָרְאֵנוּ׃

Sefaria, from the Unicode/XML Leningrad Codex at tanach.us, 2026. Tanach.us states that all biblical Hebrew text on its site may be viewed or copied without restriction, and Sefaria labels this version Public Domain. Retrieved and verified 2026-09-17. Cite as: Psalms 20:1-10, Tanach with Nikkud, a digital edition of the Leningrad Codex, via Sefaria.org. Source

Out of copyright in the United States on the basis stated here, and free to reuse there. Please keep the citation with it.

This prayer’s own page · How this text was verified

Wording and scope vary between editions and between communities, so each edition here is named and this entry makes no claim about which form is right in a given setting. The English keeps the line breaks of one digitisation of the 1917 volume. The second, which it was checked against, stores each verse as running text, so it confirms the words and cannot confirm where a line ends.

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), 1917Read twice, independently

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

Out of copyright in the United States on the basis stated here, and free to reuse there. Please keep the citation with it.

Hebrew · Tanach with Nikkud, a digital edition of the Leningrad Codex, 2026Checked against a second encoding

מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד יְהוָה רֹעִי לֹא אֶחְסָר׃

בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא יַרְבִּיצֵנִי עַל־מֵי מְנֻחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי׃

נַפְשִׁי יְשׁוֹבֵב יַנְחֵנִי בְמַעְגְּלֵי־צֶדֶק לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ׃

גַּם כִּי־אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת לֹא־אִירָא רָע כִּי־אַתָּה עִמָּדִי שִׁבְטְךָ וּמִשְׁעַנְתֶּךָ הֵמָּה יְנַחֲמֻנִי׃

תַּעֲרֹךְ לְפָנַי שֻׁלְחָן נֶגֶד צֹרְרָי דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה׃

אַךְ טוֹב וָחֶסֶד יִרְדְּפוּנִי כָּל־יְמֵי חַיָּי וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית־יְהוָה לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים׃

Sefaria, from the Unicode/XML Leningrad Codex at tanach.us, 2026. Tanach.us states that all biblical Hebrew text on its site may be viewed or copied without restriction, and Sefaria labels this version Public Domain. Retrieved and verified 2026-09-02. Cite as: Psalms 23:1-6, Tanach with Nikkud, a digital edition of the Leningrad Codex, via Sefaria.org. Source

Out of copyright in the United States on the basis stated here, and free to reuse there. Please keep the citation with it.

This prayer’s own page · How this text was verified

Wording and scope vary between editions and between communities, so each edition here is named and this entry makes no claim about which form is right in a given setting. The two columns do not cover quite the same span: the Hebrew opens with the psalm's superscription, “A Psalm of David”, which the English published here does not carry, because the two transcription passes over the JPS volume agreed only from the first verse proper.

Psalm 6 (JPS 1917)

A plea for healing from someone worn out by illness and weeping, the first of the penitential psalms. In the Ashkenazi rite it is the core of the daily supplication after the Amidah, and it is among the psalms customarily said for a person who is ill.

English · The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text (JPS), 1917Checked against a second digitisation

For the Leader; with string-music; on the Sheminith. A Psalm of David.

O LORD, rebuke me not in Thine anger,

Neither chasten me in Thy wrath.

Be gracious unto me, O LORD, for I languish away;

Heal me, O LORD, for my bones are affrighted.

My soul also is sore affrighted;

And Thou, O LORD, how long?

Return, O LORD, deliver my soul;

Save me for Thy mercy's sake.

For in death there is no remembrance of Thee;

In the nether-world who will give Thee thanks?

I am weary with my groaning;

Every night make I my bed to swim;

I melt away my couch with my tears.

Mine eye is dimmed because of vexation;

It waxeth old because of all mine adversaries.

Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity;

For the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.

The LORD hath heard my supplication;

The LORD receiveth my prayer.

All mine enemies shall be ashamed and sore affrighted;

They shall turn back, they shall be ashamed suddenly.

Jewish Publication Society of America, 1917. Published 1917, before 1929, US public domain. Retrieved and verified 2026-09-17. Source

Out of copyright in the United States on the basis stated here, and free to reuse there. Please keep the citation with it.

Hebrew · Tanach with Nikkud, a digital edition of the Leningrad Codex, 2026Checked against a second encoding

לַמְנַצֵּחַ בִּנְגִינוֹת עַל־הַשְּׁמִינִית מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד׃

יְהוָה אַל־בְּאַפְּךָ תוֹכִיחֵנִי וְאַל־בַּחֲמָתְךָ תְיַסְּרֵנִי׃

חָנֵּנִי יְהוָה כִּי אֻמְלַל אָנִי רְפָאֵנִי יְהוָה כִּי נִבְהֲלוּ עֲצָמָי׃

וְנַפְשִׁי נִבְהֲלָה מְאֹד ואת [וְאַתָּה] יְהוָה עַד־מָתָי׃

שׁוּבָה יְהוָה חַלְּצָה נַפְשִׁי הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי לְמַעַן חַסְדֶּךָ׃

כִּי אֵין בַּמָּוֶת זִכְרֶךָ בִּשְׁאוֹל מִי יוֹדֶה־לָּךְ׃

יָגַעְתִּי בְּאַנְחָתִי אַשְׂחֶה בְכָל־לַיְלָה מִטָּתִי בְּדִמְעָתִי עַרְשִׂי אַמְסֶה׃

עָשְׁשָׁה מִכַּעַס עֵינִי עָתְקָה בְּכָל־צוֹרְרָי׃

סוּרוּ מִמֶּנִּי כָּל־פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן כִּי־שָׁמַע יְהוָה קוֹל בִּכְיִי׃

שָׁמַע יְהוָה תְּחִנָּתִי יְהוָה תְּפִלָּתִי יִקָּח׃

יֵבֹשׁוּ וְיִבָּהֲלוּ מְאֹד כָּל־אֹיְבָי יָשֻׁבוּ יֵבֹשׁוּ רָגַע׃

Sefaria, from the Unicode/XML Leningrad Codex at tanach.us, 2026. Tanach.us states that all biblical Hebrew text on its site may be viewed or copied without restriction, and Sefaria labels this version Public Domain. Retrieved and verified 2026-09-17. Cite as: Psalms 6:1-11, Tanach with Nikkud, a digital edition of the Leningrad Codex, via Sefaria.org. Source

Out of copyright in the United States on the basis stated here, and free to reuse there. Please keep the citation with it.

This prayer’s own page · How this text was verified

Wording and scope vary between editions and between communities, so each edition here is named and this entry makes no claim about which form is right in a given setting. The English keeps the line breaks of one digitisation of the 1917 volume. The second, which it was checked against, stores each verse as running text, so it confirms the words and cannot confirm where a line ends.

Content last changed 6 October 2026. Dates come from this page’s own revision history, not from the last time the site was deployed.

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.