What is chabad psalms for healing?

Chabad has a specific custom of reciting designated chapters of Tehillim (Psalms) for healing of the sick (refuat hacholeh). The primary chapters recited are Psalms 20, 22, 23, 30, 33, 88, and 121, along with additional chapters, and the sick person's Hebrew name and mother's name are mentioned in a special prayer afterward. This practice draws on the deep belief that Tehillim — the Psalms of David — carry unique spiritual power to invoke Divine mercy and healing.

Key Takeaways

Chabad recites specific Tehillim chapters for healing, most centrally Psalms 20, 22, 23, 30, 33, 88, and 121.
The sick person's Hebrew name and their mother's name are mentioned when praying for their recovery.
Tehillim is considered especially powerful for healing because, as David himself was called "ne'im zemirot Yisrael" — "the sweet singer of Israel" [II Samuel 23:1], his words uniquely resonate with the soul.
Psalm 1 sets the spiritual framework: the person who meditates on Torah "day and night" is "like a tree planted by streams of water" — rooted, flourishing, and sustained [Psalms 1:1-3].
Many Chabad communities also recite the entire Book of Tehillim on Shabbat Mevarchim (the Shabbat before each new month) for the sick of the community.

The Chabad Tehillim Practice for Healing

The Role of Tehillim in Jewish Tradition

Tehillim (Psalms) has been the quintessential Jewish prayer of the heart for millennia. The Talmud [Shabbat 30a] notes that King David composed the Psalms through ruach hakodesh (Divine inspiration), and they were specifically designed as vehicles for human prayer and supplication.

David is described in [II Samuel 23:1] as:

"נְעִים זְמִרוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל" — "the sweet singer of Israel"

This title indicates that his words carry a unique resonance for the Jewish soul in every generation.

The Specific Chapters for Healing

Chabad tradition follows the general Ashkenazic and Chassidic custom of reciting specific Tehillim chapters for a sick person. The core chapters include:

Psalm 20 (Ya'anecha Hashem) — a prayer for God to answer in times of distress
Psalm 22 (Lamah Azavtani) — a cry from suffering toward ultimate trust in God
Psalm 23 (Hashem Ro'i) — "The Lord is my shepherd," expressing complete trust
Psalm 30 (Mizmor Shir Chanukat HaBayit) — praise for being healed and saved from death
Psalm 33 (Ranenu Tzaddikim) — trust in Divine Providence
Psalm 88 (Shir Mizmor livnei Korach) — an intense prayer from the depths of suffering
Psalm 121 (Shir LaMa'alot) — "I lift my eyes to the mountains," a prayer of Divine protection

From my training knowledge: Chabad.org and Chabad practice specifically list these chapters, often printed together as "Tehillim for the Sick."

The Prayer After the Chapters

After completing the chapters, a special paragraph is recited:

"Yehi ratzon milfanecha... shitishlach meheirah refuah shleimah min hashamayim, refuat hanefesh u'refuat haguf..."

"May it be Your will... that You send speedily a complete healing from heaven, a healing of the soul and a healing of the body..."

The sick person's name and their mother's name are inserted — for example, "Moshe ben Miriam" (Moshe son of Miriam). The use of the mother's name (rather than the father's) for prayers of healing and mercy is a long-established Jewish custom, rooted in the concept that mercy (rachamim) is connected to the word rechem (womb) — invoking the maternal bond.

Psalm 1 as the Gateway

The retrieved sources include Psalm 1, which serves as the opening of the entire Book of Tehillim and sets its spiritual framework [Psalms 1:1-3]:

"אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָלַךְ בַּעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים... כִּי אִם בְּתוֹרַת ה' חֶפְצוֹ... וְהָיָה כְּעֵץ שָׁתוּל עַל פַּלְגֵי מָיִם"

"Blessed is the man who did not walk in the counsel of the wicked... but his desire is in the Torah of Hashem... He shall be like a tree planted by streams of water."

This image of a deeply rooted, ever-flourishing tree is understood by Malbim and other commentators as representing a person whose connection to Torah and God sustains them even through life's trials — including illness. The "streams of water" represent the constant flow of chiyut (Divine vitality) that nourishes the soul.

Shabbat Mevarchim — Monthly Tehillim

A signature Chabad custom established by the Alter Rebbe (Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi) is the recitation of the entire Book of Tehillim on Shabbat Mevarchim — the Shabbat before each Rosh Chodesh (new month). This communal recitation is done with the sick of the entire Jewish people in mind, and carries special power as a collective act of prayer.

The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, strongly encouraged this practice and emphasized that Tehillim recited with kavvanah (intention) and bitachon (trust in God) is a powerful vehicle for healing.

The Deeper Chassidic Dimension

Chabad Chassidut teaches that illness can sometimes reflect a spiritual imbalance, and that refuat hanefesh (healing of the soul) and refuat haguf (healing of the body) are intertwined. Reciting Tehillim with deep intention addresses both dimensions simultaneously.

The Tzemach Tzedek (3rd Chabad Rebbe) famously said: "Tehillim zogt — un es helft" — "Say Tehillim — and it helps."

For personal guidance on prayers for a specific sick person or for halachic guidance, consult your local rabbi or posek. May all those who are ill experience a refuah shleimah — a complete and speedy recovery.