The Magical Use of Psalms

The Psalms have been as a form of Theurgy, and one not too far from spellcraft, within a number of traditions. From traditional Kabbalah, to Ceremonial Magic, and even in Hoodoo, we find a number of references where certain psalms are chanted to acquire a specific effect. Especially in hoodoo, such words can be chanted over candles, and thus make a fantastic addition to candle magic, or can be said over mojo bags or any other number of objects. Often, the Psalms regarding healing are chanted over water and consumed or rubbed over the afflicted regions.

I typed up these as a summary from the descriptions found in the so-called "Sixth and Seventh Book of Moses", an 18th century grimoire in the style of the Solomonic school of Ceremonial Magic. I hope that these may be of assistance to those who do not limit their practices, but might find use of ones that may otherwise seem contradictory. And, for those that may live in an environment where "witchy" items are contraband, this may assist you in achieving desired results otherwise difficult to do. For example, for banishing an area of negative influence, I *highly* recommend Psalm 91. I also find a special irony in using any number of the Psalms written to prevent persecution--- against those same people who would use the same book containing it to persecute. :)

1. Prevention of premature delivery
2. Safety from storms at seas, cure headaches
3. Cure severe headaches or backache
4. Improved luck
5. Improve business relations
6. Heal eye diseases, safety from disasters while traveling
7. Stop or prevent assaults/harassment from enemies
8. Secure good will in business transactions
9. Healing of children, protection from the power of enemies
10. Deliverance from evil spirits
11/12. Safety from persecution
13. Prevent suffering or unnatural death for 24 hours
14. Freedom from slander or mistrust
15. Protect from negative spirits and depression
16. Discover thieves, increase happiness
17. 24hr safe travel
18. Prevent harm from robbery, heal incurable disease, ward off evil spirits
19. Safety during confinement, improves child's aptitude, ward off evil spirits
20. Freedom from suffering for 24hrs, obtain just travel
21. Safety during storms at seas, gain favor from executive power
22. Safety during travels
23. Obtain reliable instruction during dreams
24/25. Escape great dangers and devastating floods
26. Prevent dangers by land and sea, early release from prison
27. Be received hospitably in foreign lands
28. Reconcilement of friend from enemy
29. Cast out evil spirits
30. Protection from evil
31. To prevent slander
32. Receive grace, love and mercy
33. Prevent stillbirth, protection during famine
34. Gain favor from executive and/or legislative powers
35. Gain favor during lawsuits
36. Defense against slanders and libel
37. To obtain sobriety
38/39. Against major slanders
40. Free oneself from negative spirits
41. Regain trust and credit lost due to the deeds of enemies
42/43. Same is 41, but also to learn of why one's enemies did this
44. Safety from enemies
45/46. Make peace between husband and wife
47. Obtain respect
48. Prevent harm from enemies AND cause fear in them
49/50. Cure severe fevers
51. Ease guilty conscious
52. Stop slanders from enemies
53. Against enemies that persecute you- to silence them.
54. Against enemies that persecute you- moderate revenge.
55. Against enemies that persecute you- repay evil with evil
56/59. To be freed from lusts and desires to transgress
57. To be fortunate in all undertakings.
58. Prevent harm from vicious dogs
60. Safety of soldiers during war
61. Blessing of new homes
62. To be absolved of impurities
63. Prevent harm from corrupt business partners
64. Protection during travel by sea
65. To be fortunate in all undertakings
66/68. Banishing of evil spirits
69. Liberation from addictions
70. To conquer enemies
71. Liberation from prison
72. To obtain favor and respect
73. Prevent religious persecution
74. Defeat persecution and frustration AND harm the oppressors
75. To be absolved from transgression
76. Prevent danger from fire and water
77. Safety from dangers
78. Obtain favor from executive/legislative powers
79. Destroy enemies
80/81. Prevent falling into atheism
82. Successful business transactions
83. Safety during war and captivity
84. Remove odors caused by illness
85. Reconciliation of friends
86. Obtain good and prevent evil, improve welfare of community
87/88. Obtain good and prevent evil
89. Expedite recovery from severe illness
90. Prevent harm from evil spirits and ghosts, protect from lions
91. Removal of negative spirits, distress, danger and suffering
92. To obtain high honors
93. Obtain justice in lawsuit with stern opponent
94. Cease oppression from bitter enemy
95. Increase faith in family and friends
96/97. Cause great joy within family
98. Establish peace and unity in family
99. To obtain piety
100. To overcome all enemies
101. Prevent persecution from evil spirits and vindictive people
102/103. For fertility in women
104. Destroy desire to sin
105. Cure three-days fever
106. Cure four-days fever
107. Cure daily fever
108. Blessing of house and business transactions
109. Cease oppression from strong enemies
110. Cause enemies to beg for peace
111. To acquire many friends
112. To increase in might and power
113. To prevent growing heresy and infidelity
114. Success in business
115. Strengthen argument against religious opponents
116. Safety from sudden or violent death
117. To mend broken vows
118. To silence religious opponents
119. (in 22 subsections)
Aleph. Heal tumors.
Bet. Improve memory, open the heart and better attitude
Gimel. To heal eye injuries
Dalet. Injuries of left eye, successful legal or business ventures
Heh. Refrain from constant sin
Vav. Cause servant to remain faithful
Zayin. Heal spleen and lives, withdraw from misled ventures
Chet. Alleviate sharp pains in the upper body
Tet. Cure kidney and lives problems
Yod. Obtain grace and favor from the Divine and man
Kaf. Heal sores in right side of nose
Lamed. Obtain justice in legal matters
Mem. Cure pains in limbs, esp. pains/paralysis in right arm/hand
Nun. For a safe journey.
Samech. For favors granted from superiors
Ayin. Cure pains in left arm/hand
Pe. Heal sores on left side of nose
Tzaddi. Prevent misrepresentation
Qoph. Heal pains/injuries of left leg
Resh. Heal sores/boils of right ear
Shin. Heal severe, burning headaches
Tau. Heal sores/boils of left ear

Aleph, Tau, Bet, Shin, Gimel, Resh, Dalet, Qoph, Heh, Tzaddi, Vau, Pe, Zayin, Ayin, Chet, Samech, Tet, Nun, Yod, Mem, Kaf, and Lamed. All read, in this order, heals pains that occurs in both arms, sides and legs at once, or tearing pains in the loins.

120. For justice it court, prevent harm from poisonous animals
121. Safety during night troubles
122. Obtain favor from executive or legislative powers
123. To return a servant
124. Safely cross raised waters, safe travels by sea
125. Safety from enemies when crossing into other lands
126. To prevent children from being taken from home
127. Protect newborn child
128. Prevent accidents during pregnancy
129. To obtain piety and and live virtuously
130. To safely leave a besieged city
131. To put one's pride it check
132. To prevent perjuries
133. To obtain friends
134. To increase aptitude for higher education
135. To be absolved of sins and consecrated to Deity
136. To make the penitent confess
137. Remove hate, malice and envy from oneself
138. Produce love and friendship
139. Increase or preserve love among couples
140. Remove growing hatred in a marriage
141. To help those oppressed with heartfelt fears
142. Cure pains in the thighs
143. Cure tearing pains in the arms
144. Expedite medical attention, healing of broken arm
145. With 144, to ease fears, banish ghosts and evil spirits
146. Expedite healing of injuries caused by deadly weapons
147. Cure dangerous wounds caused by poisonous animals
148/149. Safety from fire
150. Thanksgiving to Deity, especially for help from answered prayers

Notes: Those that are listed in pairs, such as 148/149, is taken to mean that either one of them may be used for the purpose listed. Any translation could work, since it is the Will that matters most, but I recommend the JPS (Jewish Publication Society) translation, of which may be found online. I would also like to add, since some of the Psalms have properties that could be manipulative and, in some cases destructive, that using such words are purely up to the moral character and direction of the user. I thereby free myself from any and all accountability should one choose to use the more destructive examples, be ye responsible for your own actions. I have used a number with success. Your mileage may vary.

3 members like this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nightshade on July 12, 2011 at 8:39

Another question, I was discussing this with a friend and the question came up of whether one could substitute, another god's/spirit's name for "Lord, all mighty" for instance she closely works with Apollo. Although this would not be tapping into the egregore, with enough will and purpose could it be as effective?

Permalink Reply by Sangraal on July 12, 2011 at 8:52

*Personally*, I would use them as closely to interpretation as possible— this is the main reason I prefer the JPS translation of Ta'nakh (of which the Psalms are just a significant part in conjure application). I don't work specifically work with YHVH, but they still work wonderfully for me and a couple others with whom I have employed Psalms.

That being said, Apollo is one of the few gods in the Biblical canon specifically mentioned by name, so it may be less a stray from traditional use as it may appear...

Permalink Reply by Oakthorne on July 12, 2011 at 8:55

Honestly, I would say that if it is causing you enough turmoil to consider changing it from as-written, you'd probably be better served just finding another piece of liturgy to use ritually, or making your own up.

Permalink Reply by Nightshade on July 12, 2011 at 9:04

Thank you both, that does help.

I personally would prefer to tap into the egregore, as I understand it from Strata's perspective as it does make a lot of sense. It does make sense that if you aren't comfortable with working with it as-is that it would be best to leave it, as self doubt can be crushing to any spell or words of power.

Permalink Reply by Shawn on July 12, 2011 at 12:51

(Strata again)

I tend to prefer the KJV. 1. It's the version I was raised on and its easiest for me to *connect* to because I have always assigned some form of power to them. 2. It's the most common version in this area and one that has thousands of readers and practitioners pouring intent and energy into them.

I don't believe that the original interpretations are as important if you are not actually working with their original intent, conversing with the Abrahamic God. I believe a person shoud find the version that works best for them.

Nightshade, like Oak said, if the wording is hendering you or another enough that you are considering changing it, you'd be best off finding a different version, or writing your own. The "Lords" and "Almighty's" do not hender me because they do NOT refer to the Abrahamic God to me, but instead the thought form or universal energy I am using for my intent.

Sangraal said:

*Personally*, I would use them as closely to interpretation as possible— this is the main reason I prefer the JPS translation of Ta'nakh (of which the Psalms are just a significant part in conjure application). I don't work specifically work with YHVH, but they still work wonderfully for me and a couple others with whom I have employed Psalms.

That being said, Apollo is one of the few gods in the Biblical canon specifically mentioned by name, so it may be less a stray from traditional use as it may appear...

Permalink Reply by Oakthorne on July 12, 2011 at 12:54

The other thing to remember is that the power behind these isn't likely to be the Christian God. Not really - it's most likely (as with most magics) the energetic momentum that's been built up by other magicians using these Psalms, over and over, to accomplish the same goals, throughout the years.

Permalink Reply by Shawn on July 12, 2011 at 12:59

Exactly. This is what I said in my blog. :) ~ Strata

Oakthorne said:

The other thing to remember is that the power behind these isn't likely to be the Christian God. Not really - it's most likely (as with most magics) the energetic momentum that's been built up by other magicians using these Psalms, over and over, to accomplish the same goals, throughout the years.

Permalink Reply by Nightshade on July 12, 2011 at 16:31

Well I'm Ok with it, for certain purposes I think it would be rather beneficial. My only concern at first, because I was thinking about this when I got a glimpse in a hoodoo book about a year ago that mentioned working with psalms, was how it would work for someone who wasn't Christian, which was easily cleared by Strata's blog.

Megan (my friend), however feels less inclined to use the words "Lord almighty", being from a very Christian *radical* family, her view of those words is a bit different from mine. May I forward her the link to your blog Strata? You explained it much better than what I did.

Permalink Reply by Sara Hernandez on April 1, 2012 at 21:06

YES!!! ABSOLUTLY! I use in the past and given to people some Psalms for them to read at the time of sunrise and at sunset and they have work!!!!!!!!!!!!

Permalink Reply by Lady Bleu on April 2, 2012 at 12:49

Do you just read the Psalm you need or is there a ritual also?

Permalink Reply by Sara Hernandez on April 8, 2012 at 14:55

I personally, read it 3 times at morning/night you can use a color (voltive) candle and incence as offering and let it consume. you should have the intention stated before you recite the Psalms. they have work for my dougther, people I have given them to and me.