[Avodah] Is it permitted to say Tehilim for a sick person?

[Prof. Levine]

I think that anyone reading the subject line would answer in the 
affirmative. Yet the post at http://tinyurl.com/26yqak5 says

Rambam in Hilchos Avoda Zara 11:12 who after forbidding to say 
pessukim from the Torah for physical relief quite vehemently, saying 
that not only is that considered magic it also includes the one who 
does it among Koferim in the Torah! because the words of the Torah 
are supposed to heal the Nefesh and not the Body. He then continues 
"avol habori shekoro pesukin o mizmor mitilim kedei shetogen olov 
zechus kerioson veyinotzel mitzoros unezokim harei zeh mutar." A 
healthy person who reads verses or a poem of Tehilim so that he 
should be protected by the Zechus of reading, that is permitted. Note 
that there is no way that someone is allowed to read for another 
person. It is only permitted to say it for oneself.

He also says that one is not allowed to make a meshebeirach for a 
sick person!

Yitzchok Levine 
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