Psalms of Comfort
There are 150 psalms whose authorship is attributed to King David (10th century B.C.E.) and they are the most famous of all religious poetry, beseeching God’s mercy and protection.
The recitation of psalms in times of distress, uncertainty and thanksgiving provide comfort because they reflect a personal relationship with God.
There are psalms that are recited every day as well as psalms particularly relevant in a time of mourning.
Psalm 23
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 forever.
Pslam 16
Protect me, Eternal One, for I seek refuge in You.
I say to God:
“You are Adonai, there is none beyond You."
Adonai is my allotted share and portion.
I bless Adonai who has guided me;
my conscience admonishes me at night.
I am ever mindful of the Divine Presence who is at my right hand;
I shall never be shaken.
So my heart rejoices; my whole being exults, and my body rests secure.
Pslam 90
O God, You have been our refuge in every generation.
Before the mountains came into being, before You brought forth the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity You are God.
You return us to dust;
Your decree: “Return, you mortals!”
For in Your sight a thousand years are as yesterday when it has passed, as a watch n the night.
You engulf us in sleep; we are like grass that renews itself; at daybreak it flourishes anew; at dusk it withers and dries up.
The span of our life is threescore years and ten,
or, given strength, fourscore years;
But the best of those years have trouble and sorrow.
They pass by speedily, and we are in darkness.
Teach us, therefore, so to number our days that we may attain a heart of wisdom,
Turn to us, O God!
Show mercy to Your servants.
Satisfy us at daybreak wit Your steadfast love
That we may sing for joy all our days.
Let Your deeds be seen by Your servants,
Your glory by their children.
May Your favor, O God, be upon us.
Establish the work of our hands
that it may long endure.
Pslam 121
I lift my eyes to the mountains;
What is the source of my help?
My help comes from Adonai,
Maker of heaven and earth.
God will not let your foot give way;
your Protector will not slumber.
See, the Protector of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps!
God is your Guardian,
God is your protection at your right hand.
The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
God will guard you from all harm
God will guard your soul,
your going and coming, now and forever.
Psalm 34:19
Adonai is close to the brokenhearted,
And helps those crushed in spirit.
Psalm 103:13-17
As a father has compassion for his children
Adonai has compassion for those who show reverence.
God knows how we are fashioned,
God remembers that we are dust.
The days of mortals are like grass;
We flourish as the flowers of the field.
A wind passes over them and they are not more;
And no one can recognize where they grew.
But adonai’s compassion is everlasting.
God’s kindness to children’s children,
To all the reverent ones,
Endures, age after age, unchanging.
Ecclesiasties 3
For everything there is a season, a time for every experience under heaven:
A time to be born and a time to die,
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted,
A time to tear down and a time to build up,
A time to weep and a time to laugh,
A time to grieve and a time to dance,
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones,
A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
A time to seek and a time to lose,
A time to keep and a time to discard,
A time to tear and a time to sew,
A time to keep silence and a time to speak.