Tehillim (Psalm) 20, known by its opening words Lamnatzeach mizmor l'David, is a short tefillah that Hashem answer a person b'yom tzarah — on a day of distress (Tehillim 20:2). Its plain meaning is a prayer for salvation in trouble, trusting in Hashem's Name rather than in human strength. By widespread custom, "Lamnatzeach… ya'ancha" is said in the weekday morning davening and omitted on many days that have a character of simcha (no Tachanun).
What does Tehillim 20 mean?
Tehillim 20 is a tefillah, in the plain sense of the pesukim, that Hashem answer a person in time of trouble. The perek opens Lamnatzeach mizmor l'David (Tehillim 20:1), and its central pasuk reads: "Ya'ancha Hashem b'yom tzarah, yesagevcha shem Elokei Yaakov" — "May Hashem answer you on a day of distress; may the Name of the God of Yaakov set you on high" (20:2).
The kapitel's defining contrast comes near its close (20:8): "Eleh varechev v'eleh vasusim, va'anachnu b'shem Hashem Elokeinu nazkir" — "these with chariots and these with horses, but we invoke the Name of Hashem." The plain sense is trust in Hashem rather than in human might, which is why the perek is traditionally associated with going out toward danger.
What is Tehillim 20 a prayer for ("b'yom tzarah")?
Tehillim 20 is, by its plain meaning, a prayer for salvation on a day of distress — b'yom tzarah. The phrase comes straight from the text (20:2), and the perek's whole posture is a request that Hashem answer, send help, and grant success when a person faces trouble.
Because of the "chariots and horses" contrast in pasuk 8, this kapitel carries a traditional association with going out to battle or into danger and placing one's reliance on Hashem's Name. Read it for what it plainly is: a heartfelt plea for Divine answer in a hard moment — not a formula that guarantees a particular outcome.
When is Tehillim 20 said in davening, and when is it omitted?
By widespread custom, "Lamnatzeach… ya'ancha" (Tehillim 20) is said in the weekday morning davening and is omitted on many days that carry a character of simcha — that is, days when Tachanun is not said. This is liturgical minhag, not something the pesukim themselves prescribe.
The Shulchan Arukh (Orach Chayim 131:1) actually notes that the custom is to say Lamnatzeach even on most days when Tachanun is omitted, except a specific set of days — the Mechaber lists six: Rosh Chodesh, Chanukah, Purim, Erev Pesach, Erev Yom Kippur, and Tisha B'Av; and Lamnatzeach is likewise not said on Shabbos and Yom Tov, whose davening differs. Exactly which days it is left out varies by nusach and community, so treat this as the general framework rather than one rigid list. For the precise practice of your nusach, ask your rav or follow your siddur and kehillah.
Is Tehillim 20 said for someone in distress or for a refuah?
Yes — Tehillim 20 fits naturally into the well-established and ancient custom of saying Tehillim in times of need, including for someone in distress, in danger, or for a refuah, precisely because its theme is Hashem answering b'yom tzarah. Saying it with that intention is a meaningful and time-honored minhag.
Two honest cautions belong here. First, which specific kapitel one says for a given need (refuah, a shidduch, parnassah, and so on) varies by community and source — it is minhag, not fixed halacha, so no single "say perek X for Y" list should be treated as binding. Second, a psalm is not a magic amulet: its value is the tefillah and trust it expresses, not a guaranteed result. The Rambam himself criticized treating sacred texts as charms. Say it sincerely, as the prayer it is.
Common questions
- What are the opening words of Tehillim 20?
- Tehillim 20 opens "Lamnatzeach mizmor l'David" (Psalms 20:1). It is widely known simply as "Lamnatzeach," and the phrase often used to refer to it in davening is "Lamnatzeach… ya'ancha," from its central pasuk (20:2).
- What does "b'yom tzarah" mean in Tehillim 20?
- "B'yom tzarah" means "on a day of distress." The pasuk (20:2) reads "Ya'ancha Hashem b'yom tzarah" — "May Hashem answer you on a day of distress" — which captures the whole kapitel's plain meaning: a prayer for Divine help in a time of trouble.
- Why is Tehillim 20 omitted on some days?
- By custom, "Lamnatzeach" is left out on certain days that have a character of simcha. The Shulchan Arukh (Orach Chayim 131:1) lists six: Rosh Chodesh, Chanukah, Purim, Erev Pesach, Erev Yom Kippur, and Tisha B'Av; it is also not said on Shabbos and Yom Tov. The exact practice varies by nusach, so follow your siddur or ask your rav.
- Can I say Tehillim 20 for a sick person or someone in trouble?
- Yes. Because its theme is Hashem answering on a day of distress, Tehillim 20 fits the long-standing custom of saying Tehillim for someone who is ill or in difficulty. Keep in mind that which specific perek to say for a given need is minhag that varies by community, and a psalm is a sincere tefillah, not a guarantee of a particular outcome.
- Is Tehillim 20 a segulah that guarantees salvation?
- No. Tehillim 20 is a heartfelt prayer for Hashem to answer in distress, and saying it is a meaningful custom — but it should not be treated as a magic amulet that guarantees a result. The Rambam criticized treating sacred texts as charms. Say it as the tefillah it is, with trust in Hashem.