One Who Says Tehillim Has the Power of Dovid Hamelech:
The following are the words of Rav Shimshon Pinkus zt”l on the topic of the recital of Tehillim (from Sefer Tiferes Shimshon on the Hagadah Shel Pesach):
The Sefarim that deal with remez state that the last letters of the first pasuk in Sefer Shemos spell the word “Tehillim”. The explanation of this is that the descension of Yaakov and his sons to Egypt was the first exile, and it was the foundation and root of all subsequent exiles. The Torah is hinting that the tools needed to endure the harsh golus are tefillos to Hashem, especially the songs of Tehillim.
The prayers enacted by our holy forefathers have a special power, as does the nusach of tefillah enacted by the Anshei Knesses Hagedolah, which included numerous prophets. This is the composition of our siddur.
This can be compared to someone who hits a wall a metal wrecking ball that is used to demolish a house. The ball has to be thrown at the wall with a lot of power in order to knock it down. However, if it is full of explosives, just lightly throwing it at the wall will cause it to explode and bring down the entire wall. So too, the prayers enacted by the Anshei Knesses Gedolah have been infused with an explosive power that grants them the ability to knock down walls and reach Hashem.
Amongst these tefillos, which we recite daily, are chapters from Dovid Hamelech’s Sefer Tehillim, which contains prayers for every challenge and difficulty and for any aspect of life. Everything that will ever occur was included by Dovid Hamelech with his ruach hakodesh. And anyone who recites them has the awesome power of Dovid Hamelech, which are much more powerful than any intention of the heart that one can instill on his own. It is as if Dovid Hamelech is davening for him, which is a power so great that it can annul any suffering in the world.
Every Jew should accustom himself to regularly recite Tehillim. In past generations, people said a lot of Tehillim every day, and anyone who does so today is praiseworthy, especially if he completes it every week or every month and adds more in times of difficulty. Just like all other good customs, it may be hard at first, but it will slowly but surely become an integral part of your life. And, through this, you will see Divine assistance and success in whatever you do.
More in this printout
- They Were Always ComingRav Yehoshua of Belz explains why the Torah describes Yaakov's family as coming to Egypt in the present tense, teaching a lesson on remaining strangers in exile
- Geulah in the Merit of Torah and TehillimExplore how the Igra D’Kallah links the redemption from Egypt to the power of Tehillim and Teshuva, offering a path to Geulah for every Jew through Torah study.
- The Greatness of Saying Tehillim Even With MistakesDiscover the spiritual power of reciting Tehillim with sincerity, as illustrated by a story of the Tzemach Tzedek's wife and the value of heartfelt prayer.
- The Greatness of Saying Tehillim Even Without Understanding The WordsExplore the spiritual power of reciting Tehillim, where Dovid Hamelech's prayer enables even the unlearned to achieve profound purification and divine reward.
- Tehillim Draws One Close to HashemRav Pinkus explains how reciting Tehillim, including verses about enemies, builds a close relationship with Hashem that makes our prayers more effective.
- Connecting to Hashem Through TehillimExplore how Sefer Tehillim serves as a powerful tool for connecting to Hashem, fostering divine love, and achieving spiritual closeness through praise.
- Connected to Hashem and His MitzvosThe Chida explains how reciting Tehillim fosters a deep connection to Hashem, Torah, and mitzvos while providing protection against speaking lashon hara.
- A Segulah for a YeshuaDiscover a powerful segulah for salvation from Rav Elazar Fisch of Biksad, involving the recitation of the 150 chapters of Tehillim twice daily for miracles.
- Yaakov and Yosef Said TehillimA Medrashic insight from Bereishis Rabbah explaining that Yaakov and Yosef spent their years of exile and hardship in the house of Lavan and Egypt reciting Tehi
- A Segulah for BitachonDiscover the power of Tehillim as a segulah for bitachon and healing, as explained in the Yalkut Mei’am Loa’iz regarding the ruach hakodesh of Dovid Hamelech.