Special Custom for the Month of Elul and High Holidays
The Baal Shem Tov instituted a custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms).
See below for today's additional chapters.
Chapter 83
A prayer regarding the wars against Israel in the days of Jehoshaphat, when the nations plotted against Israel.
1A song, a psalm by Asaph.
2O God, do not be silent; do not be quiet and do not be still, O God.
3For behold, Your enemies are in uproar, and those who hate You have raised their head.
4They plot deviously against Your nation, and conspire against those sheltered by You.
5They say, "Come, let us sever them from nationhood, and the name of Israel will be remembered no more.”
6For they conspire with a unanimous heart, they made a covenant against You-
7 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,
8Geval and Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre.
9Assyria, too, joined with them, and became the strength of the sons of Lot, Selah.
10Do to them as to Midian; as to Sisera and Yavin at the brook of Kishon,
11who were destroyed at Ein Dor, and were as dung for the earth.
12Make their nobles like Orev and Ze'ev, all their princes like Zevach and Tzalmuna,
13who said, "Let us inherit the dwellings of God for ourselves.”
14My God, make them like whirling chaff, like straw before the wind.
15As a fire consumes the forest, and a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
16so pursue them with Your tempest and terrify them with Your storm.
17Fill their faces with shame, and they will seek Your Name, O Lord.
18Let them be shamed and terrified forever; let them be disgraced and perish.
19And they will know that You, Whose Name is the Lord, are alone, Most High over all the earth.
Chapter 84
In this psalm of prayers and entreaties, the psalmist mourns bitterly over the destruction of Temple from the depths of his heart, and speaks of the many blessings that will be realized upon its restoration. Fortunate is the one who trusts it will be rebuilt, and does not despair in the face of this long exile.
1For the Conductor, on the gittit, a psalm by the sons of Korach.
2How beloved are Your dwellings, O Lord of Hosts!
3My soul yearns, indeed it pines, for the courtyards of the Lord; my heart and my flesh [long to] sing to the living God.
4Even the bird has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she lays her young on the [ruins of] Your altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King and my God.
5Fortunate are those who dwell in Your House; they will yet praise You forever.
6Fortunate is the man whose strength is in You; the paths [to the Temple] are in his heart.
7For those who pass through the Valley of Thorns, He places wellsprings; their guide will be cloaked in blessings.
8They go from strength to strength; they will appear before God in Zion.
9O Lord, God of Hosts, hear my prayer; listen, O God of Jacob, forever.
10See our shield, O God, and look upon the face of Your anointed one.
11For better one day in Your courtyards than a thousand [elsewhere]. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God, than dwell [in comfort] in the tents of wickedness.
12For the Lord, God, is a sun and a shield; the Lord bestows favor and glory; He does not withhold goodness from those who walk in innocence.
13O Lord of Hosts! Fortunate is the man who trusts in You.
Chapter 85
In this prayer, lamenting the long and bitter exile, the psalmist asks why this exile is longer than the previous ones, and implores God to quickly fulfill His promise to redeem us. Every individual should offer this psalm when in distress.
1For the Conductor, a psalm by the sons of Korach.
2O Lord, You favored Your land; You returned the captives of Jacob.
3You forgave the iniquity of Your people, and covered all their sin forever.
4You withdrew all Your fury, and retreated from Your fierce anger.
5Return us, O God of our salvation, and annul Your anger toward us.
6Will You forever be angry with us? Will You draw out Your anger over all generations?
7Is it not true that You will revive us again, and Your people will rejoice in You?
8Show us Your kindness, O Lord, and grant us Your deliverance.
9I hear what the Almighty Lord will say; for He speaks peace to His nation and to His pious ones, and they will not return to folly.
10Indeed, His deliverance is near those who fear Him, that [His] glory may dwell in the land.
11Kindness and truth have met; righteousness and peace have kissed.
12Truth will sprout from the earth, and righteousness will peer from heaven.
13The Lord, too, will bestow goodness, and our land will yield its produce.
14Righteousness shall walk before him, and he shall set his footsteps in [its] path.
Chapter 86
This psalm contains many prayers regarding David's troubles, and his enemies Doeg and Achitophel. It also includes many descriptions of God's praise. Every individual can offer this psalm when in distress.
1A prayer by David. Lord, turn Your ear, answer me, for I am poor and needy.
2Guard my soul, for I am pious; You, my God, deliver Your servant who trusts in You.
3Be gracious to me, my Lord, for to You I call all day.
4Bring joy to the soul of Your servant, for to You, my Lord, I lift my soul.
5For You, my Lord, are good and forgiving, and exceedingly kind to all who call upon You.
6Lord, hear my prayer and listen to the voice of my supplications.
7On the day of my distress I call upon You, for You will answer me.
8There is none like You among the supernal beings, my Lord, and there are no deeds like Yours.
9All the nations that You have made will come and bow down before You, my Lord, and give honor to Your Name,
10for You are great and perform wonders, You alone, O God.
11Lord, teach me Your way that I may walk in Your truth; unify my heart to fear Your Name.
12I will praise You, my Lord, my God, with all my heart, and give honor to Your Name forever.
13For Your kindness to me has been great; You have saved my soul from the depth of the grave.
14O God, malicious men have risen against me; a band of ruthless men has sought my soul; they are not mindful of You.
15But You, my Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in kindness and truth.
16Turn to me and be gracious to me; grant Your strength to Your servant, and deliver the son of Your maidservant.
17Show me a sign of favor, that my foes may see and be shamed, because You, Lord, have given me aid and consoled me.
Chapter 87
Composed to be sung in the Holy Temple, this psalm praises the glory of Jerusalem, a city that produces many great scholars, eminent personalities, and persons of good deeds. It also speaks of the good that will occur in the Messianic era.
1By the sons of Korach, a psalm, a song devoted to the holy mountains [of Zion and Jerusalem].
2The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
3Glorious things are spoken of you, eternal city of God.
4I will remind Rahav Egypt and Babylon concerning My beloved; Philistia and Tyre as well as Ethiopia, "This one was born there.”
5And to Zion will be said, "This person and that was born there"; and He, the Most High, will establish it.
6The Lord will count in the register of people, "This one was born there," Selah.
7Singers as well as dancers [will sing your praise and say], "All my inner thoughts are of you."
Additional Three Chapters
The Baal Shem Tov instituted a custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms).
Today's Chapters are 49, 50, and 51.
Chapter 49
This psalm is a strong message and inspiration for all, rich and poor alike, rebuking man for transgressions which, owing to habit, he no longer considers sinful; yet, these sins incriminate man on the Day of Judgement. The psalm speaks specifically to the wealthy, who rely not on God but on their wealth.
1For the Conductor, by the sons of Korach, a psalm.
2Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all you inhabitants of the world;
3sons of common folk and sons of nobility, rich and poor alike.
4My mouth speaks wisdom, and the thoughts of my heart are understanding.
5I incline my ear to the parable; I will unravel my riddle upon the harp.
6Why am I afraid in times of trouble? [Because] the sins I trod upon surround me.
7There are those who rely on their wealth, who boast of their great riches.
8Yet a man cannot redeem his brother, nor pay his ransom to God.
9The redemption of their soul is too costly, and forever unattainable.
10Can one live forever, never to see the grave?
11Though he sees that wise men die, that the fool and the senseless both perish, leaving their wealth to others-
12[nevertheless,] in their inner thoughts their houses will last forever, their dwellings for generation after generation; they have proclaimed their names throughout the lands.
13But man will not repose in glory; he is likened to the silenced animals.
14This is their way-their folly remains with them, and their descendants approve of their talk, Selah.
15Like sheep, they are destined for the grave; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright will dominate them at morning; their form will rot in the grave, away from its abode.
16But God will redeem my soul from the hands of the grave, for He will take me, Selah.
17Do not fear when a man grows rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
18for when he dies he will take nothing, his glory will not descend after him.
19For he [alone] praises himself in his lifetime; but [all] will praise you if you better yourself.
20He will come to the generation of his forefathers; they shall not see light for all eternity.
21Man [can live] in glory but does not understand; he is likened to the silenced animals.
Chapter 50
This psalm speaks of many ethics and morals. The psalmist rebukes those who fail to repent humbly and modestly. He also admonishes those who do not practice that which they study, and merely appear to be righteous; they sin and cause others to sin.
1A psalm by Asaph. Almighty God, the Lord, spoke and called to the earth, from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2Out of Zion, the place of perfect beauty, God appeared.
3Our God will come and not be silent; a fire will consume before Him, His surroundings are furiously turbulent.
4He will call to the heavens above, and to the earth, to avenge His people:
5"Gather to Me My pious ones, those who made a covenant with Me over a sacrifice.”
6Then the heavens declared His righteousness, for God is Judge forever.
7Listen, My people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against you-I am God your God.
8Not for [the lack of] your sacrifices will I rebuke you, nor for [the lack of] your burnt offerings which ought to be continually before Me.
9I do not take oxen from your house, nor goats from your pens;
10for every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle of a thousand mountains.
11I know every bird of the mountains, and the crawling creatures of the field are in My possession.
12Were I hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and everything in it is Mine.
13Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14Offer confession as a sacrifice to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High,
15and call to Me on the day of distress; I will free you, and you will honor Me.
16But to the wicked, God said, "What does it help you to discuss My laws, and bear My covenant upon your lips?
17For you hate discipline, and throw My words behind you.
18When you see a thief you run with him, and your lot is with adulterers.
19You sent forth your mouth for evil, and attach your tongue to deceit.
20You sit down to talk against your brother; your mother's son you defame.
21You have done these things and I kept silent, so you imagine that I am like you-[but] I will rebuke you and lay it clearly before your eyes.
22Understand this now, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart and there be none to save you.
23He who offers a sacrifice of confession honors Me; and to him who sets right his way, I will show the deliverance of God."
Chapter 51
This psalm speaks of when Nathan the prophet went to David's palace, and rebuked him for his sin with Bathsheba. David then secluded himself with God, offering awe-inspiring prayers and begging forgiveness. Every person should recite this psalm for his sins and transgressions.
1For the Conductor, a psalm by David,
2when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone to Bathsheba.
3Be gracious to me, O God, in keeping with Your kindness; in accordance with Your abounding compassion, erase my transgressions.
4Cleanse me thoroughly of my wrongdoing, and purify me of my sin.
5For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
6Against You alone have I sinned, and done that which is evil in Your eyes; [forgive me] so that You will be justified in Your verdict, vindicated in Your judgment.
7Indeed, I was begotten in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
8Indeed, You desire truth in the innermost parts; teach me the wisdom of concealed things.
9Purge me with hyssop and I shall be pure; cleanse me and I shall be whiter than snow.
10Let me hear [tidings of] joy and gladness; then the bones which You have shattered will rejoice.
11Hide Your face from my sins, and erase all my trespasses.
12Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew within me an upright spirit.
13Do not cast me out of Your presence, and do not take Your Spirit of Holiness away from me.
14Restore to me the joy of Your deliverance, and uphold me with a spirit of magnanimity.
15I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You.
16Save me from bloodguilt, O God, God of my deliverance; my tongue will sing Your righteousness.
17My Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Your praise.
18For You do not desire that I bring sacrifices, nor do You wish burnt offerings.
19The offering [desirable] to God is a contrite spirit; a contrite and broken heart, God, You do not disdain.
20In Your goodwill, bestow goodness upon Zion; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
21Then will You desire sacrifices [offered in] righteousness, olah and other burnt offerings; then they will offer bullocks upon Your altar.
Tehillim Ohel Yoseph Yitzchok,
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