#psalm magic

[deschubba]

Textual magic #30 - LUCK - Psalm 47

Timing: 26.02.2026, around 11 p.m, 28.02.2026, around 3 a.m.

Items: Psalm 47, solomonic holy water. From the Veritable Key of Solomon:

Procedure: in the first day I wrote the Psalm by hand three times: once in a notebook for daily reading, and two in separate pieces of paper, in dark purple. Friday morning I read it as prescribed before work, and finally at 3 a.m. I inserted one of the written papers in regular water mixed with a bit of holy water, and drank it after the words dissolved. The other piece of paper I kept in my bag. I plan to read it daily and ingest it regularly.

[psalmicwitch]

🔹 Psalm Magic 101 🔹

I practice with psalm magic a lot as a Christian witch, but it’s not exclusive to Christian witches. I’ve said this before on my blog, but the psalms are some of the oldest, most well documented pieces of magic we have.

The psalms, commonly attributed to King David, but there’s actually no evidence of who authored any of the psalms. We have no idea who they came from, but we know they came from much older sources. Using the book of psalms as magical test is a sort of pre-Wiccan traditional witchcraft practice.

I tend to follow Ariel Gatoga’s method of psalm magic, though there are many traditions.

Step 1: Start with a Psalm

Start with a psalm. It helps if it has a meaning that aligns with what your intentions are, but it isn’t explicitly necessary. You’ll have a harder time working the psalm, but it is definitely not impossible. I like this index of psalm meanings.

Your first read through of the psalm you’re going to treat it like an incantation. Recite with intent and with energy, whatever that means for you. Do this without stopping. (If you stop you do gotta start over)

This doesn’t have to be out loud, if you’re in the broomcloset, but read through it as if you were reciting it out loud. I like to describe this as “all but” letting the words come out of your mouth.

Step 2: Work the Psalm

Next, we move on to working the psalm. Our next read through, mentally or out loud, we’re reading and digging deeper, verse by verse, finding the occult meanings behind certain words.

What are occult or double meanings? I really like, again, Ariel Gatoga’s booklet on discerning the double meanings of certain words.

He describes finding these words as seeds which we plant and grow into magic. The description that resonates with me is knitting these words together to grow into a functional spell.

There’s no inherent magic in reciting a psalm. The magic comes from working and weaving its pieces together with intention to work towards your goal.

Sometimes, if I have the energy, I’ll do a second working of the same psalm. Don’t do more than one psalm a day. One thing about psalm magic is that it can be exhausting. I remember the first time I really had success with a working it completely drained me and I passed out immediately after. Even if you don’t get physically tired, it is mentally taxing, so don’t overdo it. (Remember to always raise energy before and ground after.)

Ending and Circuits

I personally end with incanting the psalm once more, putting special emphasis on those occult or double-meaninged words. I made this up. It helps me feel like I’ve gone full circle, but truly, we were finished after we worked the psalm. This second incantation is really just putting frosting on the outside of the psalm cake.

Circuits are an integral part of psalm magic, unlike my little frosting on the cake. When you work a psalm, it’ll work, but to add more energy to what you preformed, you’re going to want to recite similar psalms the next few days. My favorite circuit is definitely 9, 90, and 91 for healing illness.

To work a circuit, pick the 3-6 psalms you want to work, and work them, one a day, 3-6 days straight, depending on how many psalms you picked. After, take a few days rest and evaluate how you feel about what you did. I search deep for my gut to tell me where I stand in the problem. If you feel good, great! If you don’t, do the circuit again.

I like psalms because psalmic magic does not rely on anything else. You can create a ritual around it (I do!) but nothing else is required. You can be the most inconspicuous witch ever. You only need a Bible or a book of psalms.

A final note, if you feel detached from the language found in the book of psalms, especially if you’re not a devotee of an Abrahamic god, it’s important to reframe it. In this text, you are god. (Heresy alert lol). Remember, these texts predate what they’re used for in the Bible. Change your frame of reference, and realize you are the god of the texts. (Or if you do resonate with the way they are written, don’t bother.) It’s about how to make the text work with you. There is no power in the exact language with which the psalms are written.

Once you learn the process, psalm magic starts to feel like second nature.

If you ever don’t want to write your own spell, if you want to recite some old magic, or even if you are worried about getting caught, psalm magic has something for everyone. I really do implore you to give it a shot.

Lastly, if this has been helpful or insightful to you, please consider donating to the ALS Association.

I’m on a mission to end ALS. If you can’t donate, reblog my pinned post, or hey, send a psalm up for healing those with ALS, or knowledge for those working for the cure.

[citrinemystic]

Paraphrase of psalm 3:7: rise up, o God, for you do bitchslap my enemies, and knock their fucking teeth out.

[bruja-colibri]

One of my favorite forms of witchcraft that I do in my practice is candle magick! Veladoras.

In a Mexican household whether it’s a religious one or not, some of us do folk Catholicism, also it’s pretty similar to brujeria. I guess in a way folk catholicism (Mexican) it’s a form of Brujeria but also not. If you were to meet someone or know some one who practices, they will tell you that they are a “good” Catholic. A Mexican Catholic will say no “I’m Catholic, no soy brujo” .

Even though I’m not a practicing Catholic, I was baptized and raised in a Catholic household but I just can not label myself as a Catholic! Especially after all the harm and damage the Catholic Church has done to minorities. I still practice folk catholicism even if I’m not a Catholic anymore.

[lailoken]

“For the Exorcism & Blessing of the Working Ground

Psalms 68 Verses 1-5, and 134

Psalm 68 Verses 1-5:

Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him. A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

Psalm 134:

Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.”

—

The Charmer’s Psalter

‘Psalms for Magic & Charming’

For Rites of the Wise

by Gemma Gary

[alderandvine]

The power of the wicked shall be broken

A spell to destroy an enemies influence or power over you. It would be best to do this during the waning moon on a Saturday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

You’ll need:

A poppet with a taglock.

Barberry root.

Licorice root.

Blackthorn thorns.

Thread, preferably black.

A firesafe bowl.

A blasting rod.

Once you’ve layed your compass or otherwise hallowed your space in some way and youre ready to begin say the first two lines of psalm 37.

“ Do not fret because of those who are evil

or be envious of those who do wrong;

For like the grass they will soon wither,

like green plants they will soon die away. “

Pace counter clockwise around the poppet while pointing your blasting rod at it and chant lines 12-13 of the psalm.

“ The wicked plot against the righteous

and gnash their teeth at them;

But the Lord laughs at the wicked,

for he knows their day is coming. “

Once you feel you’ve raised enough power and entered deep enough into an altered state cease the pacing and chanting.

Sit before the poppet point the left finger or blasting rod at it and say the 14th line of the psalm.

“ The wicked draw the sword

and bend the bow

to bring down the poor and needy,

to slay those whose ways are upright. “

Take your thorns and pierce the poppets heart, mouth, and head then tie its arms first then legs behind its back while saying the 15th line of the psalm.

“But their swords will pierce their own hearts,

and their bows will be broken”

Sprinkle barberry on the poppet to break your enemies power while saying the next lines of the psalm.

“Better the little that the righteous have

than the wealth of many wicked;

For the power of the wicked will be broken”

Now sprinkle the licorice root over the poppet in order to dominate them.

After you’ve done that say the 18th-20th lines.

“The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,

and their inheritance will endure forever.

In times of disaster they will not wither;

in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

But the wicked will perish:

Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,

they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke. “

As you say “ they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke “ light the poppet on fire.

While its burning pace counter clockwise and chant:

“ the power of the wicked shall be broken”

Keep chanting and pacing until its burnt completely.

Scatter the ashes to the wind.

[sunrisedespair]

Psalm Magic for Healing and Recovering: If you are suffering from the flu during this epidemic that seems to be going around, read Psalm 41!

I myself was sick with the flu from the 16th of December to the 3rd of January, so I understand just how bad this current flu epidemic is. 

If you find yourself, your friends, or someone in your house coming down with the flu (or already sick), please recite the following text from Psalm 41, which is good for general health/healing and recovery: 

Blessed is he who considers the poor!

The Lord delivers him in the day of trouble;

the Lord protects him and keeps him alive;

he is called blessed in the land;

thou dost not give him up to the will of his enemies. 

The Lord sustains him on his sickbed;

in his illness thou healest all his infirmities.

As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;

heal me, for I have sinned against thee!” 

My enemies say of me in malice: 

“When will he die, and his name perish?” 

And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words,

while his heart gathers mischief;

when he goes out, he tells it abroad.

All who hate me whisper together about me;

they imagine the worst for me. 

They say, “A deadly thing has fastened upon him;

he will not rise again from where he lies.”

Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted,

who ate of my bread, has lifted his heel against me. 

But do thou, O Lord, be gracious to me,

and raise me up, that I may requite them! 

By this I know that thou art pleased with me,

in that my enemy has not triumphed over me.

But thou hast upheld me because of my integrity,

and set me in thy presence for ever. 

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting! 

Amen and Amen. 

-1952 version of the Bible, as produced by The British and Foreign Bible Society

This Psalm can also be used to recover from illnesses caused by hexes or curses, but is an excellent one to use when the flu (or any illness) has worn you down, and you need to be lifted up. 

I love this one, because it’s essentially saying, “God, let me survive out of spite of my enemies”, which is definitely motivating and tends to raise spirits at least a little, even when physically it’s difficult to feel anything more than miserable! 

This flu season is nothing to fuck with, and plenty of people are falling seriously ill. If you or someone you know is sick, please be extremely careful, and stay hydrated, all of that. If you need to go to the hospital, I know it’s a huge expense (in the USA) and difficult to manage, but please do so, as many have already died from this year’s flu, evidently. 

If you find yourself or someone you love in hospital down with the flu, copy this Psalm down on a white, blue, or green slip of paper, and give it to them to keep with them while they are in hospital. (It may be good to laminate it if possible, and make it a sort of prayer card, so that it can’t be destroyed if it gets wet or bent beyond a usable/readable state.) It should then be read once a day, whenever the person feels well enough to do so, or read it to them at least one a day. 

Ideally, this will then aid in cutting down the duration of the illness, or help to ease its effects enough to be bearable. It can also help prevent the flu, given you continue to use preventative methods in conjunction with it, such as washing hands and avoiding touching your face (in public spaces especially), and all of that. 

Continue to use any OTC or prescribed drugs as directed by your doctor, and monitor yourself or the sick person/people for any worsening of symptoms! 

I hope someone finds this helpful, and stay healthy out there! <3 

Much love and light 

Effluviah 

herbalist-witch on Tumblr

effluviah on Instagram 

[psalmicwitch]

Hi! Fellow Christian witch here! Idk how I’ve never heard of psalm magic! Could you explain it?

Hi! Psalm Magic is not something I hear about too much on here Tumblr, it's more prominent in the Christian Witch reddit sphere!

Most biblical scholars agree that despite them being attributed to him, the Psalms were not written by David, rather compiled by him. They're much, much older than David!

The working belief is that the Psalms are actually the oldest surviving spells we have, period. Plenty of witches actually practice Psalm Magic, not just Christians or Jews, purely because of their age and history. What I really like about Psalm Magic is that it's the broomcloset witch's best friend. All you need is a Bible or a book of Psalms.

This is one of those magic practices that gets passed from generation to generation. Parents teaching kids, masters teaching apprentices. It's powerful if you know what you're doing, so powerful that it has survived thousands of years.

As for how, Psalm Magic is a two step process. First, you read the Psalm with intention and vigor. If you stop for whatever reason, you have to start over. Think of this as your incantation. (Side bar, you can totally do this in your head. Still, read with intention and vigor. You should almost hear yourself talk inside your head, if that makes any sense.)

Your second step is called Working the Psalm. This time, as we're reading, we're digging deeper into the language used. Look through each verse and find the occult or double meaning in a word or phrase. (This is a little convoluted to describe, and it's something you have to get acquainted with. In my longer post that I'll link below I mention a video that explains it a little better.) Go through the whole Psalm, picking the verses apart, finding those words that have occult meanings, till you get to the end.

Technically, you're done! But that never feels right to me. I always incant the Psalm one more time, really lazering in on those words I picked out earlier.

This is sort of a shorter summary of Psalm Magic. I have a longer post about it where I give a handful of resources from people who are better teachers than me (Ariel Gatoga on YouTube is a spectacular teacher), and I delve a little more into my personal process for Working, Ending, and Subsequent Workings.

🔹 Psalm Magic 101 🔹

I practice with psalm magic a lot as a Christian witch, but it’s not exclusive to Christian witches. I’ve said this before on my blog, but t

Thank you for asking! This is a piece of my practice that feels incredibly sacred and meaningful to me. It gives me a chance to connect with a book that, more often than not, I find troubling. When I read parts that I trouble me, be they humans being humans or intentional mistranslations, I can flip back and recognize, that deep in this book, is a magic that was never lost.