When Parnassah Weighs on Your Heart
There are nights when you lie awake thinking about money: how to pay a bill, where the next month’s rent will come from, or whether you will be able to put food on the table for your family. This heaviness is a real and painful nisayon.
You are not the first person to carry this. Dovid HaMelech (King David), who spent years running for his life, who knew hunger and uncertainty firsthand, composed a tefillah that has been on the lips of Yidden for three thousand years. Kapitel 23 of Tehillim opens with six words that say everything: Hashem is my shepherd, I shall not want. When we say this kapitel, we are placing our parnassah in the hands of the One who feeds every creature on earth.
Before You Say This Tefillah
Before you begin, take a quiet moment. You do not need to come to Hashem with polished words. Speak to Him simply and honestly:
Ribono Shel Olam, Master of the world, You feed and sustain every living thing. I come before You with a heavy heart, asking for dignified parnassah. Please open the gates of livelihood for me and my family. Let me earn my bread with honor, not through shame or dependence on others. Give me the clarity to see the doors You open and the strength to walk through them. In the zechus of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness, who trusted in You completely, please hear my tefillah and grant me what I need. Elokah d’Meir aneni.
If giving tzedakah, add:
In the zechus of the tzedakah I am giving to Rabbi Meir Baal Haness, please remember me for parnassah tovah. Just as I am opening my hand to help Your children in Eretz Yisrael, please open Your hand and provide for mine.
Kapitel 23: The Full Prayer
מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד יְהֹוָה רֹעִי לֹא אֶחְסָר
בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא יַרְבִּיצֵנִי עַל מֵי מְנֻחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי
נַפְשִׁי יְשׁוֹבֵב יַנְחֵנִי בְמַעְגְּלֵי צֶדֶק לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ
גַּם כִּי אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת לֹא אִירָא רָע כִּי אַתָּה עִמָּדִי שִׁבְטְךָ וּמִשְׁעַנְתֶּךָ הֵמָּה יְנַחֲמֻנִי
תַּעֲרֹךְ לְפָנַי שֻׁלְחָן נֶגֶד צֹרְרָי דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה
אַךְ טוֹב וָחֶסֶד יִרְדְּפוּנִי כׇּל יְמֵי חַיָּי וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית יְהֹוָה לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים
Mizmor l'Dovid. Hashem roi'i, loi echsor.
Bin'ois deshe yarbitzeini, al mei m'nuchos y'nahaleini.
Nafshi y'shoiveiv, yancheini v'maglei tzedek l'ma'an sh'moi.
Gam ki eileich b'gei tzalmoves, loi iro ro, ki Atoh imodi, shivt'cho umish'antecho heimoh y'nachamuni.
Ta'aroich l'fonai shulchon neged tzor'roi, dishanto vashemen roshi, koisi r'voyoh.
Ach toiv vochesed yird'funi kol y'mei chayoi, v'shavti b'veis Hashem l'oirech yomim.
Mizmor l'David. Hashem ro'i, lo echsar.
Bin'ot deshe yarbitzeni, al mei m'nuchot y'nahaleni.
Nafshi y'shovev, yancheni v'ma'gelei tzedek l'ma'an sh'mo.
Gam ki elech b'gei tzalmavet, lo ira ra, ki Ata imadi, shivt'cha u'mish'anteicha hema y'nachamuni.
Ta'aroch l'fanai shulchan neged tzoreray, dishanta va'shemen roshi, kosi r'vaya.
Ach tov va'chesed yird'funi kol y'mei chayai, v'shavti b'veit Hashem l'orech yamim.
A psalm of David. Hashem is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul, He guides me in paths of righteousness for the sake of His name.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of Hashem for the length of days.
Dovid wrote this kapitel from a place of deep emunah. He had known poverty and danger. He had hidden in caves and eaten whatever he could find. And yet he looked back on all of it and said: Hashem was my Shepherd through it all. I lacked nothing. This kapitel is a declaration of trust that Hashem provides, even when we cannot see how.
The Line To Hold On To
Hashem roi’i, “Hashem is my shepherd” “Hashem is my shepherd”
The word ro’i comes from a root that means to tend, to feed, to care for. A shepherd does not wait for the sheep to figure out where the grass is. He leads them there. When Dovid calls Hashem his Shepherd, he is saying something very personal about parnassah: I do not have to find my own way alone. Hashem is actively guiding me toward the livelihood He has set aside for me. When you feel lost, when the path forward is unclear, remember this. Your Shepherd knows the way even when you do not.
Loi echsor — “I shall not want” “I shall not want”
The root of echsar means to lack, to be deficient. There is a difference between wanting more and lacking what matters. This is the heart of bitachon — trust in Hashem. It does not mean you will never struggle. It means you are not alone in the struggle, and that Hashem does not abandon you. When the worry of parnassah feels overwhelming, remember these two words: lo echsar.
Yancheini b’maglei tzedek — “He guides me in paths of righteousness” “He guides me in the paths of righteousness”
The word yancheni means to lead gently, to guide. And ma’aglei tzedek are paths of righteousness, upright paths, honest paths. When it comes to earning a living, the temptation to cut corners can be strong. But Dovid is teaching that Hashem does not just provide parnassah. He guides a person toward honest parnassah. The Gemara in Shabbos 31a lists as the first question asked of a person: “Did you conduct your business faithfully?” Hashem guides us to earn in a way that we can be proud of.
Ta’aroich l’fonai shulchon neged tzor’roi, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies”
The word shulchan means table. This is one of the most striking images in all of Tehillim. Even when enemies surround you, even when the world feels hostile and the pressure is closing in, Hashem sets a full table in front of you. This verse speaks of Hashem sustaining a person even in difficult circumstances. You do not have to wait for the hard times to pass before Hashem sends parnassah. He can spread a table for you right in the middle of the difficulty.
How to Say This Tefillah
Kapitel 23 is one of the well-known chapters of Tehillim, and there is no single required time to say it. Many people say it as part of their morning davening. Others say it before a job interview, before opening a business, or on Erev Shabbos when they are asking Hashem to bless the coming week. Some say it quietly at night, when worries about parnassah feel strongest. Say it whenever your heart turns to tefillah. If you cannot read the Hebrew, you can say it in English or use the transliteration above. What matters most is to say it with an open heart.
Before you begin, set your kavanah. You might say quietly: “Hashem, I am placing my parnassah in Your hands. You are my Shepherd. I trust that You will provide what I need, in the right time and in the right way.” Then read the kapitel slowly, letting each word settle.
Tefillah and tzedakah go hand in hand. The Gemara in Bava Basra 10a teaches that tzedakah and chesed create powerful advocates between Yisrael and their Father in Heaven. When you say this kapitel and also give tzedakah in the zechus of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness, your tefillah and your chesed rise together. You are not davening to Rabbi Meir, chas v’shalom. You are asking Hashem to hear your tefillah in the zechus of a great tzaddik together with your own act of giving. After the kapitel, you can add: Elokah d’Meir aneini.
Give Tzedakah for Parnassah
The Gemara (Avodah Zarah 18a; AlHaTorah) tells how Rabbi Meir rescued his sister-in-law from a Roman brothel. He persuaded the guard to release her and taught him that if he were ever in danger he should say, “Eloka d’Meir aneini.” Rabbi Meir even demonstrated the phrase’s power when he was saved from attacking dogs, and the guard later relied on it as well. The story highlights the merit associated with Rabbi Meir, and the miracles Hashem performed in his merit.
When parnassah feels impossible, when doors keep closing and the path forward is dark, this is the kind of moment where the zechus of Rabbi Meir has carried Yidden for generations. Giving tzedakah in his memory is not about paying for a miracle. It is about combining your tefillah with an act of chesed and asking Hashem to open the gates of livelihood in the merit of both.
Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Charities was founded in 1799 and supports Torah scholars and the poor in Eretz Yisrael. Talmidei chachamim at the kever of Rabbi Meir in Tiberias daven on behalf of those who reach out to them. When you give tzedakah for their sake, you join a chain of chesed that stretches back centuries. Your giving rises together with your tefillah.
How To Carry This Tefillah Into The Day
Tefillah and hishtadlus (personal effort) work together. Dovid HaMelech trusted Hashem completely, but he also worked as a shepherd, a soldier, and a leader. He did not sit and wait for parnassah to arrive on its own. He put in the effort and trusted Hashem with the results.
If you are looking for work, keep searching. Update your resume. Reach out to people who might know of opportunities. If you are self-employed, take practical steps to strengthen your business. Seek advice from people you trust. If debts are weighing on you, speak with a financial counselor who can help you make a plan. There is no shame in asking for help. That too is hishtadlus.
At the same time, do not confuse effort with control. You do your part, and Hashem does His. The parnassah ultimately comes from Him. Your job is to open the door. His job is to send the blessing through it. When you internalize this, your hishtadlus becomes a vessel for Hashem’s bracha.
Kapitel 23 of Tehillim is a powerful declaration of bitachon. Dovid HaMelech describes Hashem as the shepherd who guides, protects, and sustains him: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Because of that theme of divine care and provision, many people turn to this kapitel when davening about parnassah. Still, the chapter itself is best described first as a mizmor of trust in Hashem’s care.
You can say it at any time. Many people say it in the morning as part of their davening, or before starting their workday. Others say it before a job interview, when opening a new business, or whenever the worry about parnassah feels heavy. There is no wrong time to ask Hashem for help.
Rabbi Meir was a great Tanna whose tefillah saved his sister-in-law from a hopeless situation. For generations, Yidden have given tzedakah in his zechus at moments of deep need, including when davening for parnassah. Giving in his merit is asking Hashem to hear your tefillah together with your act of chesed.
Bava Batra 10a speaks powerfully about the spiritual significance of tzedakah. The Gemara links tzedakah with standing before Hashem in prayer and with great spiritual merit. In that spirit, giving even when things feel tight expresses trust that what we have is meant to be shared. Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Charities supports Torah scholars and families in Eretz Yisrael, and your giving joins generations of Yidden who have combined tefillah with tzedakah at moments of need.
“G-d of Meir, answer me.” These are the words Rabbi Meir cried out when there seemed to be no way forward. Saying them alongside Kapitel 23 and giving tzedakah is an expression of deep emunah, showing belief that Hashem is the source of salvation.
A Blessing for Your Parnassah
When parnassah weighs heavily on a person, the burden is real, and Hashem sees every bit of it. Turning to tefillah in a time of need, rather than giving in to worry, reflects a deep emunah that Hashem is the true source of all sustenance.
May Hashem, your Shepherd, lead you to green pastures. May He open doors of livelihood that you did not even know existed. May your work be blessed, your home be full, and your table never empty. May you earn with dignity and with honesty, and may you see clearly that Hashem is providing for you every step of the way. Loi echsor. You will not want.
You can submit a prayer request to the scholars at the grave of Rabbi Meir in Tiberias at no cost. They will daven for your parnassah by name through Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Charities. And if you would like to give tzedakah in Rabbi Meir’s zechus as well, your kindness will rise together with your prayer.
