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When one is waiting for a medical test result, which tehillim is it customary to recite?

msh210
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rena
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    Wouldn't it be a tefillat shav, since the condition already exists and you can't change something once it's already been decreed? – Adam Mosheh Jun 27 '13 at 23:10
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    the test is to determine IF condition exists – rena Jun 28 '13 at 02:00
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    @Rena just because you don't know doesn't mean it doesn't exist. – Double AA Jun 28 '13 at 04:24
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    @AdamMosheh I don't understand your logic. You're not saying Tefilot you're just reciting verses from Tehilim. – Hacham Gabriel Jun 28 '13 at 13:39
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    rena, welcome to Mi Yodeya, and thanks very much for bringing your question here! I hope you'll look around and see other content here of interest to you, perhaps including our 55 other questions about [tag:tehilim-psalms]. If this question is immediately relevant to you or yours, I join you in hoping God grants a favorable result. – Isaac Moses Jun 28 '13 at 13:57
  • @DoubleAA, IIRC we don't pray for good silo contents once we open the silo doors: but until then we do, even a minute before, even though the grain is already good- or bad-quality. This is because until a status is seen by human eyes it can still be changed by God without our knowledge, and he may well do so. That's my understanding, anyway: I'm glad to be corrected if I'm wrong. – msh210 Jun 28 '13 at 15:35
  • @HachamGabriel - But most Psalms are prayers. – Adam Mosheh Jun 28 '13 at 19:14
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    @AdamMosheh ya but there is no way it can be a Tefilat Shav because it's Pesukim as well. – Hacham Gabriel Jun 28 '13 at 21:11
  • @HachamGabriel - Een hachee nammee, and that would be the other tzad. – Adam Mosheh Jun 30 '13 at 13:53
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    @AdamMosheh, related: http://www.hakirah.org/Vol%2012%20Bleicher.pdf – Seth J Jul 09 '13 at 18:36
  • @HachamGabriel^^^ – Seth J Jul 09 '13 at 18:37

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The Minhag at the Yeshivos where I learned as a Bochur was to recite numbers 121, 130 and 142 followed by the pesukim of "temanya Apei" (eight facets, ie eight pesukim for each letter) of tehilla #119 with the letters corresponding to the name and mothers name. One important thing to bear in mind is that as long as a definite diagnosis hasn't been confirmed the collaborative efforts and zechuyos of the Tehillim said along with a genuine acceptance to take on an extra detail in the service of Hashem (eg to read the bracha "Asher Yotzar" with concentration from a printed text) has a much stronger change of success of overturning the gezeira than once the diagnosis is confirmed a miracle is needed.

Y Revah
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    Y Revah, welcome to Mi Yodeya, and thanks very much for documenting this minhag here! I hope you'll look around and find other content here that interests you, perhaps including our 613 (!) other questions about [tag:minhag]. Please consider registering your account, which will give you access to more of the site's features. – Isaac Moses Jun 28 '13 at 13:59
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One may not think as he recites Tehillim that they are a cure. (see here).

Tehillim are essentially praise of Hashem which can be followed by a prayer for healing. see here.

Therefore I suggest that you say the Tehillim which arouse you most to the praise of Hashem.

Avrohom Yitzchok
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