Although there are no specific prayers that must be said at the Western Wall, there are several chapters of Psalms that some have come to recite at this holy site due to their themes. This post presents the Hebrew and English words for these Psalms, as well as a brief description of why many have come to recite them at the Western Wall.
Psalms Chapter 126
This joyous song celebrates the return of the Jewish people to Zion (Jerusalem). Also recited prior to the Grace After Meals on Shabbat and holidays, this Psalm is both praise to God as well as a prayer for redemption.
א שִׁיר, הַמַּעֲלוֹת:
בְּשׁוּב יְהוָה, אֶת-שִׁיבַת צִיּוֹן– הָיִינוּ, כְּחֹלְמִים.
ב אָז יִמָּלֵא שְׂחוֹק, פִּינוּ– וּלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ רִנָּה:
אָז, יֹאמְרוּ בַגּוֹיִם– הִגְדִּיל יְהוָה, לַעֲשׂוֹת עִם-אֵלֶּה.
ג הִגְדִּיל יְהוָה, לַעֲשׂוֹת עִמָּנוּ– הָיִינוּ שְׂמֵחִים.
ד שׁוּבָה יְהוָה, אֶת-שבותנו (שְׁבִיתֵנוּ)– כַּאֲפִיקִים בַּנֶּגֶב.
ה הַזֹּרְעִים בְּדִמְעָה– בְּרִנָּה יִקְצֹרוּ.
ו הָלוֹךְ יֵלֵךְ, וּבָכֹה– נֹשֵׂא מֶשֶׁךְ-הַזָּרַע:
בֹּא-יָבֹא בְרִנָּה– נֹשֵׂא, אֲלֻמֹּתָיו.
1 A Song of Ascents. {N}
When the LORD brought back those that returned to Zion, we were like unto them that dream.
2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing; {N}
then said they among the nations: 'The LORD hath done great things with these.'
3 The LORD hath done great things with us; we are rejoiced.
4 Turn our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the dry land.
5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
6 Though he goeth on his way weeping that beareth the measure of seed, {N}
he shall come home with joy, bearing his sheaves. {P}
Psalms Chapter 130
This Psalm is a hopeful prayer for redemption, mercy and forgiveness, often recited when one is going through a challenging time.
א שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת:
מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ יְהוָה.
ב אֲדֹנָי, שִׁמְעָה בְקוֹלִי:
תִּהְיֶינָה אָזְנֶיךָ, קַשֻּׁבוֹת– לְקוֹל, תַּחֲנוּנָי.
ג אִם-עֲוֺנוֹת תִּשְׁמָר-יָהּ– אֲדֹנָי, מִי יַעֲמֹד.
ד כִּי-עִמְּךָ הַסְּלִיחָה– לְמַעַן, תִּוָּרֵא.
ה קִוִּיתִי יְהוָה, קִוְּתָה נַפְשִׁי; וְלִדְבָרוֹ הוֹחָלְתִּי.
ו נַפְשִׁי לַאדֹנָי– מִשֹּׁמְרִים לַבֹּקֶר, שֹׁמְרִים לַבֹּקֶר.
ז יַחֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶל-יְהוָה: כִּי-עִם-יְהוָה הַחֶסֶד; וְהַרְבֵּה עִמּוֹ פְדוּת.
ח וְהוּא, יִפְדֶּה אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל– מִכֹּל, עֲוֺנֹתָיו.
1 A Song of Ascents. {N}
Out of the depths have I called Thee, O LORD.
2 Lord, hearken unto my voice; {N}
let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
3 If Thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
4 For with Thee there is forgiveness, that Thou mayest be feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in His word do I hope.
6 My soul waiteth for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning; yea, more than watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption.
8 And He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. {P}
Psalms Chapter 50
This Psalm mourns the destruction of the Temple.
א מִזְמוֹר, לְאָסָף:
אֵל, אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה– דִּבֶּר וַיִּקְרָא-אָרֶץ;
מִמִּזְרַח-שֶׁמֶשׁ, עַד-מְבֹאוֹ.
ב מִצִּיּוֹן מִכְלַל-יֹפִי– אֱלֹהִים הוֹפִיעַ.
ג יָבֹא אֱלֹהֵינוּ, וְאַל-יֶחֱרַשׁ:
אֵשׁ-לְפָנָיו תֹּאכֵל; וּסְבִיבָיו, נִשְׂעֲרָה מְאֹד.
ד יִקְרָא אֶל-הַשָּׁמַיִם מֵעָל; וְאֶל-הָאָרֶץ, לָדִין עַמּוֹ.
ה אִסְפוּ-לִי חֲסִידָי– כֹּרְתֵי בְרִיתִי עֲלֵי-זָבַח.
ו וַיַּגִּידוּ שָׁמַיִם צִדְקוֹ: כִּי-אֱלֹהִים, שֹׁפֵט הוּא סֶלָה.
ז שִׁמְעָה עַמִּי, וַאֲדַבֵּרָה– יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאָעִידָה בָּךְ:
אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֶיךָ אָנֹכִי.
ח לֹא עַל-זְבָחֶיךָ, אוֹכִיחֶךָ; וְעוֹלֹתֶיךָ לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד.
ט לֹא-אֶקַּח מִבֵּיתְךָ פָר; מִמִּכְלְאֹתֶיךָ, עַתּוּדִים.
י כִּי-לִי כָל-חַיְתוֹ-יָעַר; בְּהֵמוֹת, בְּהַרְרֵי-אָלֶף.
יא יָדַעְתִּי, כָּל-עוֹף הָרִים; וְזִיז שָׂדַי, עִמָּדִי.
יב אִם-אֶרְעַב, לֹא-אֹמַר לָךְ: כִּי-לִי תֵבֵל, וּמְלֹאָהּ.
יג הַאוֹכַל, בְּשַׂר אַבִּירִים; וְדַם עַתּוּדִים אֶשְׁתֶּה.
יד זְבַח לֵאלֹהִים תּוֹדָה; וְשַׁלֵּם לְעֶלְיוֹן נְדָרֶיךָ.
טו וּקְרָאֵנִי, בְּיוֹם צָרָה; אֲחַלֶּצְךָ, וּתְכַבְּדֵנִי.
טז וְלָרָשָׁע, אָמַר אֱלֹהִים, מַה-לְּךָ, לְסַפֵּר חֻקָּי; וַתִּשָּׂא בְרִיתִי עֲלֵי-פִיךָ.
יז וְאַתָּה, שָׂנֵאתָ מוּסָר; וַתַּשְׁלֵךְ דְּבָרַי אַחֲרֶיךָ.
יח אִם-רָאִיתָ גַנָּב, וַתִּרֶץ עִמּוֹ; וְעִם מְנָאֲפִים חֶלְקֶךָ.
יט פִּיךָ, שָׁלַחְתָּ בְרָעָה; וּלְשׁוֹנְךָ, תַּצְמִיד מִרְמָה.
כ תֵּשֵׁב, בְּאָחִיךָ תְדַבֵּר; בְּבֶן-אִמְּךָ, תִּתֶּן-דֹּפִי.
כא אֵלֶּה עָשִׂיתָ, וְהֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי– דִּמִּיתָ, הֱיוֹת-אֶהְיֶה כָמוֹךָ;
אוֹכִיחֲךָ וְאֶעֶרְכָה לְעֵינֶיךָ.
כב בִּינוּ-נָא זֹאת, שֹׁכְחֵי אֱלוֹהַּ: פֶּן-אֶטְרֹף, וְאֵין מַצִּיל.
כג זֹבֵחַ תּוֹדָה, יְכַבְּדָנְנִי: וְשָׂם דֶּרֶךְ–אַרְאֶנּוּ, בְּיֵשַׁע אֱלֹהִים.
1 A Psalm of Asaph. {N}
God, God, the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth {N}
from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined forth.
3 Our God cometh, and doth not keep silence; {N}
a fire devoureth before Him, and round about Him it stormeth mightily.
4 He calleth to the heavens above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people:
5 'Gather My saints together unto Me; those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.'
6 And the heavens declare His righteousness; for God, He is judge. Selah
7 'Hear, O My people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: {N}
God, thy God, am I.
8 I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices; and thy burnt-offerings are continually before Me.
9 I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
11 I know all the fowls of the mountains; and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; for the world is Mine, and the fulness thereof.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer unto God the sacrifice of thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High;
15 And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt honour Me.'
16 But unto the wicked God saith: 'What hast thou to do to declare My statutes, and that thou hast taken My covenant in thy mouth?
17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest My words behind thee.
18 When thou sawest a thief, thou hadst company with him, and with adulterers was thy portion.
19 Thou hast let loose thy mouth for evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.
20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son.
21 These things hast thou done, and should I have kept silence? Thou hadst thought that I was altogether such a one as thyself; {N}
but I will reprove thee, and set the cause before thine eyes.
22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear in pieces, and there be none to deliver.
23 Whoso offereth the sacrifice of thanksgiving honoureth Me; and to him that ordereth his way aright will I show the salvation of God.' {P}
The following two Psalms appear on the website of Western Wall Prayers, where one can pay to have someone pray for them at the Western Wall for forty consecutive days. There is a custom to pray for 40 consecutive days at the Western Wall, based on the ancient belief that forty consecutive days of prayer will arouse God's mercy. People often take on this practice when they are going through a difficult time, such as seeking a partner, income, children or healing.
Psalms Chapter 20
This Psalm is a prayer for salvation, often recited in times of trouble and distress.
א לַמְנַצֵּחַ, מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד.
ב יַעַנְךָ יְהוָה, בְּיוֹם צָרָה; יְשַׂגֶּבְךָ, שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב.
ג יִשְׁלַח-עֶזְרְךָ מִקֹּדֶשׁ; וּמִצִּיּוֹן, יִסְעָדֶךָּ.
ד יִזְכֹּר כָּל-מִנְחֹתֶךָ; וְעוֹלָתְךָ יְדַשְּׁנֶה סֶלָה.
ה יִתֶּן-לְךָ כִלְבָבֶךָ; וְכָל-עֲצָתְךָ יְמַלֵּא.
ו נְרַנְּנָה, בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ– וּבְשֵׁם-אֱלֹהֵינוּ נִדְגֹּל;
יְמַלֵּא יְהוָה, כָּל-מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶיךָ.
ז עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי– כִּי הוֹשִׁיעַ יְהוָה, מְשִׁיחוֹ:
יַעֲנֵהוּ, מִשְּׁמֵי קָדְשׁוֹ– בִּגְבֻרוֹת, יֵשַׁע יְמִינוֹ.
ח אֵלֶּה בָרֶכֶב, וְאֵלֶּה בַסּוּסִים;
וַאֲנַחְנוּ, בְּשֵׁם-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ נַזְכִּיר.
ט הֵמָּה, כָּרְעוּ וְנָפָלוּ; וַאֲנַחְנוּ קַּמְנוּ, וַנִּתְעוֹדָד.
י יְהוָה הוֹשִׁיעָה: הַמֶּלֶךְ, יַעֲנֵנוּ בְיוֹם-קָרְאֵנוּ.
1 For the Leader. A Psalm of David.
2 The LORD answer thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob set thee up on high;
3 Send forth thy help from the sanctuary, and support thee out of Zion;
4 Receive the memorial of all thy meal-offerings, and accept the fat of thy burnt-sacrifice; Selah
5 Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
6 We will shout for joy in thy victory, and in the name of our God we will set up our standards; {N}
the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.
7 Now know I that the LORD saveth His anointed; {N}
He will answer him from His holy heaven with the mighty acts of His saving right hand.
8 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; {N}
but we will make mention of the name of the LORD our God.
9 They are bowed down and fallen; but we are risen, and stand upright.
10 Save, LORD; let the King answer us in the day that we call. {P}
Psalms Chapter 32
This Psalm is recommended for those seeking a marriage partner, due to a connection made between the words "a time to be found" and finding one's spouse in the sixth verse.
א לְדָוִד, מַשְׂכִּיל: אַשְׁרֵי נְשׂוּי-פֶּשַׁע; כְּסוּי חֲטָאָה.
ב אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם–לֹא יַחְשֹׁב יְהוָה לוֹ עָוֺן; וְאֵין בְּרוּחוֹ רְמִיָּה.
ג כִּי-הֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי, בָּלוּ עֲצָמָי– בְּשַׁאֲגָתִי, כָּל-הַיּוֹם.
ד כִּי, יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה– תִּכְבַּד עָלַי, יָדֶךָ:
נֶהְפַּךְ לְשַׁדִּי– בְּחַרְבֹנֵי קַיִץ סֶלָה.
ה חַטָּאתִי אוֹדִיעֲךָ, וַעֲוֺנִי לֹא-כִסִּיתִי–
אָמַרְתִּי, אוֹדֶה עֲלֵי פְשָׁעַי לַיהוָה;
וְאַתָּה נָשָׂאתָ עֲוֺן חַטָּאתִי סֶלָה.
ו עַל-זֹאת, יִתְפַּלֵּל כָּל-חָסִיד אֵלֶיךָ– לְעֵת מְצֹא:
רַק, לְשֵׁטֶף מַיִם רַבִּים– אֵלָיו, לֹא יַגִּיעוּ.
ז אַתָּה, סֵתֶר לִי– מִצַּר תִּצְּרֵנִי:
רָנֵּי פַלֵּט; תְּסוֹבְבֵנִי סֶלָה.
ח אַשְׂכִּילְךָ, וְאוֹרְךָ–בְּדֶרֶךְ-זוּ תֵלֵךְ; אִיעֲצָה עָלֶיךָ עֵינִי.
ט אַל-תִּהְיוּ, כְּסוּס כְּפֶרֶד– אֵין הָבִין:
בְּמֶתֶג-וָרֶסֶן עֶדְיוֹ לִבְלוֹם; בַּל, קְרֹב אֵלֶיךָ.
י רַבִּים מַכְאוֹבִים, לָרָשָׁע: וְהַבּוֹטֵחַ בַּיהוָה–חֶסֶד, יְסוֹבְבֶנּוּ.
יא שִׂמְחוּ בַיהוָה וְגִילוּ, צַדִּיקִים; וְהַרְנִינוּ, כָּל-יִשְׁרֵי-לֵב.
1 [A Psalm] of David. Maschil. Happy is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is pardoned.
2 Happy is the man unto whom the LORD counteth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3 When I kept silence, my bones wore away through my groaning all the day long.
4 For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me; {N}
my sap was turned as in the droughts of summer. Selah
5 I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; {N}
I said: 'I will make confession concerning my transgressions unto the LORD'– {N}
and Thou, Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah
6 For this let every one that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found; {N}
surely, when the great waters overflow, they will not reach unto him.
7 Thou art my hiding-place; Thou wilt preserve me from the adversary; {N}
with songs of deliverance Thou wilt compass me about. Selah
8 'I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go; I will give counsel, Mine eye being upon thee.'
9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding; {N}
whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, that they come not near unto thee.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked; but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy compasseth him about.
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous; and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. {P}