What Is Ashrei?

Ashrei (“Fortunate”) is a Jewish prayer from the Book of Psalms said (at least) three times daily.

When Is Ashrei Said?

In the morning, it forms the core of Pesuei Dezimra (“Verses of Praise”), which precede the Shema and the Amidah (“Silent Prayer”), and is said again near the conclusion of the service.

And in the afternoon, it opens the services, being said immediately before the Amidah (“Silent Prayer”).

Why Is Ashrei Special?

Other than the first two verses (Psalms 84:5 and Psalms 144:15) and the final verse (Psalms 115:18), it is entirely from Psalm 145.

This psalm was singled out by the sages of the Talmud,1 who declared that anyone who says it three times a day is assured to have a place in the World to Come. This is because it has the following unique characteristics.

  1. Each verse begins with another letter of the alphabet, so one who reads it praises G‑d with the entirety of speech.2
  2. In the verse that begins with the letter peh, we praise G‑d who “opens Your hand and satisfies every living thing [with] its desire.”3

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Ashrei in Hebrew & English

Fortunate are those who stay in Your house; they will continually praise You forever.אַשְׁרֵי יוֹשְׁבֵי בֵיתֶךָ עוֹד יְהַלְלוּךָ סֶּלָה
Praiseworthy is the people that has this; praiseworthy is the people whose God is the Lord.אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁכָּכָה לּוֹ אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֱׁיְהוָה אֱלֹהָיו
A praise of David. I shall exalt You, my God the King, and I shall bless Your name forever and ever.תְּהִלָּה לְדָוִד אֲרוֹמִמְךָ אֱלוֹהַי הַמֶּלֶךְ וַאֲבָרְכָה שִׁמְךָ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד
Every day I shall bless You, and I shall praise Your name forever and ever.בְּכָל יוֹם אֲבָרְכֶךָּ וַאֲהַלְלָה שִׁמְךָ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד
The Lord is great and very much praised, and His greatness cannot be searched.גָּדוֹל יְהוָה וּמְהֻלָּל מְאֹד וְלִגְדֻלָּתוֹ אֵין חֵקֶר
Generation to generation will praise Your works, and they will recite Your mighty deeds.דּוֹר לְדוֹר יְשַׁבַּח מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וּגְבוּרֹתֶיךָ יַגִּידוּ
Of the majesty of the glory of Your splendor and the words of Your wonders I shall speak.הֲדַר כְּבוֹד הוֹדֶךָ וְדִבְרֵי נִפְלְאֹתֶיךָ אָשִׂיחָה
And the strength of Your awesome deeds they will tell, and Your greatness I shall sing.וֶעֱזוּז נוֹרְאֹתֶיךָ יֹאמֵרוּ וּגְדֻלָּתְךָ אֲסַפְּרֶנָּה
Of the remembrance of Your abundant goodness they will speak, and of Your righteousness, they will sing.זֵכֶר רַב טוּבְךָ יַבִּיעוּ וְצִדְקָתְךָ יְרַנֵּנוּ
The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and of great kindness.חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם יְהוָה אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וּגְדָל חָסֶד
The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are on all His works.טוֹב יְהוָה לַכֹּל וְרַחֲמָיו עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו
All Your works will thank You, O Lord, and Your pious ones will bless You.יוֹדוּךָ יְהוָה כָּל מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וַחֲסִידֶיךָ יְבָרְכוּכָה
They will tell the glory of Your kingdom, and they will speak of Your might.כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתְךָ יֹאמֵרוּ וּגְבוּרָתְךָ יְדַבֵּרוּ
To make known to the children of men His mighty deeds and the glory of the majesty of His kingdom.לְהוֹדִיעַ לִבְנֵי הָאָדָם גְּבוּרֹתָיו וּכְבוֹד הֲדַר מַלְכוּתוֹ
Your kingdom is a kingdom of all times, and Your ruling is in every generation.מַלְכוּתְךָ מַלְכוּת כָּל-עֹלָמִים וּמֶמְשַׁלְתְּךָ בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדֹר
The Lord supports all those who fall and straightens all who are bent down.סוֹמֵךְ יְהוָה לְכָל הַנֹּפְלִים וְזוֹקֵף לְכָל הַכְּפוּפִים
Everyone's eyes look to You with hope, and You give them their food in its time.עֵינֵי כֹל אֵלֶיךָ יְשַׂבֵּרוּ וְאַתָּה נוֹתֵן לָהֶם אֶת אָכְלָם בְּעִתּוֹ
You open Your hand and satisfy every living thing [with] its desire.פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶךָ וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל חַי רָצוֹן
The Lord is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds.צַדִּיק יְהוָה בְּכָל דְּרָכָיו וְחָסִיד בְּכָל-מַעֲשָׂיו
The Lord is near to all who call Him, to all who call Him with sincerity.קָרוֹב יְהוָה לְכָל קֹרְאָיו לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָאֻהוּ בֶאֱמֶת
He does the will of those who fear Him, and He hears their cry and saves them.רְצוֹן יְרֵאָיו יַעֲשֶׂה וְאֶת שַׁוְעָתָם יִשְׁמַע וְיוֹשִׁיעֵם
The Lord guards all who love Him, and He destroys all the wicked.שׁוֹמֵר יְהוָה אֶת כָּל אֹהֲבָיו וְאֵת כָּל הָרְשָׁעִים יַשְׁמִיד
My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.תְּהִלַּת יְהוָה יְדַבֶּר-פִּי וִיבָרֵךְ כָּל בָּשָׂר שֵׁם קָדְשׁוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד
And we shall bless God from now until everlasting, Hallelujah!וַאֲנַחְנוּ נְבָרֵךְ יָהּ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם הַלְלוּיָהּ

Transliteration of Ashrei

ah-shray yohsh-vay vay-teh-khah ohd yi-hah-li-loo-khah seh-lah
ah-shray hah-ahm sheh-kah-khah loh ah-shray hah-ahm sheh-ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hahv
tih-hee-lah li-dah-veed
ah-roh-meem-khah eh-loh-hai hah-meh-lekh vah-ah-vahr-khah shee-mih-khah li-oh-lahm vah-ehd
bi-khohl yohm ah-vahr-kheh-khah vah-ah-hah-li-lah sheem-khah li-oh-lahm vah-ehd
gah-dohl ah-doh-noi oo-mih-hoo-lahl mih-ohd vi-leeg-doo-lah-toh ayn khay-kehr
dohr lih-dohr yih-shah-bakh mah-ah-seh-khah oog-voo-roh-teh-khah yah-gee-doo
hah-dahr kih-vohd hoh-deh-khah vih-deev-ray neef-lih-oh-teh-khah ah-see-khah
veh-eh-zooz noh-roh-teh-khah yoh-may-roo oog-doo-laht-khah ah-sah-preh-nah
zay-khehr rahv toov-khah yah-bee-oo vih-tzeed-kah-tih-khah yih-rah-nay-noo
khah-noon vih-rah-khoom ah-doh-noi eh-rekh ah-pah-yeem oog-dahl khah-sehd
tohv ah-doh-noi lah-kohl vi-rah-khah-mahv ahl kohl mah-ah-sahv
yoh-doo-khah ah-doh-noi kohl mah-ah-seh-khah vah-khah-see-deh-khah yih-vahr-khoo-khah
kih-vohd mahl-khoot-khah yoh-may-roo oog-voo-rah-tih-khah yih-dah-bay-roo
lih-hoh-dee-ah leev-nay hah-ah-dahm gih-voo-roh-tahv ookh-vohd hah-dahr mahl-khoo-toh
mahl-khoot-khah mahl-khoot kohl oh-lah-meem oo-mehm-shahl-tih-khah bi-khohl dohr vah-dohr
soh-maykh ah-doh-noi li-khohl hah-nohf-leem vih-zoh-kayf lih-khohl hahk-foo-feem
ay-nay khohl ay-leh-khah yi-sah-bay-roo vi-ah-tah noh-tayn lah-hehm eht ah-khlahm bih-ee-toh
poh-tay-akh eht yah-deh-khah oo-mah-sbee-ah li-khohl khai rah-tzohn
tzah-deek ah-doh-noi bi-khohl dih-rah-khahv vih-khah-seed bih-khohl mah-ah-sahv
kah-rohv ah-doh-noi lih-khohl kohr-ahv li-khohl ah-shehr yeek-rah-oo-hoo veh-eh-meht
ri-tzohn yi-ray-ahv yah-ah-seh vih-eht shah-vah-tahm yeesh-mah vi-yoh-shee-aym
shoh-mayr ah-doh-noi eht kohl oh-hah-vahv vi-ayt kohl hah-rih-shah-eem yahsh-meed
ti-hee-laht ah-doh-noi yi-dah-behr pee vee-vah-raykh kohl bah-sahr shaym kahd-shoh li-oh-lahm vah-ehd
vah-ah-nakh-noo ni-vah-raykh yah may-ah-tah vahd oh-lahm hah-li-loo-yah