Tehillim Inspired Recipe #6
Tehillim 34
לְדָוִ֗ד בְּשַׁנּוֹת֣וֹ אֶת־טַ֭עְמוֹ לִפְנֵ֣י אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ וַ֝יְגָרְשֵׁ֗הוּ וַיֵּלַֽךְ׃
Of David, when he feigned madness in the presence of Abimelech, who turned him out, and he left.-a
אֲבָרְכָ֣ה אֶת־ד’ בְּכׇל־עֵ֑ת תָּ֝מִ֗יד תְּֽהִלָּת֥וֹ בְּפִֽי׃
I bless the L-rd at all times;
praise of Him is ever in my mouth.
בַּ֭יהֹוָה תִּתְהַלֵּ֣ל נַפְשִׁ֑י יִשְׁמְע֖וּ עֲנָוִ֣ים וְיִשְׂמָֽחוּ׃
I glory in the L-rd ;
let the lowly hear it and rejoice.
גַּדְּל֣וּ לַיְד’ אִתִּ֑י וּנְרוֹמְמָ֖ה שְׁמ֣וֹ יַחְדָּֽו׃
Exalt the L-rd with me;
let us extol His name together.
דָּרַ֣שְׁתִּי אֶת־ד’ וְעָנָ֑נִי וּמִכׇּל־מְ֝גוּרוֹתַ֗י הִצִּילָֽנִי׃
I turned to the L-rd , and He answered me;
He saved me from all my terrors.
הִבִּ֣יטוּ אֵלָ֣יו וְנָהָ֑רוּ וּ֝פְנֵיהֶ֗ם אַל־יֶחְפָּֽרוּ׃
Men look to Him and are radiant;
let their faces not be downcast.
זֶ֤ה עָנִ֣י קָ֭רָא וַד’ שָׁמֵ֑עַ וּמִכׇּל־צָ֝רוֹתָ֗יו הוֹשִׁיעֽוֹ׃
Here was a lowly man who called,
and the L-rd listened,
and delivered him from all his troubles.
חֹנֶ֤ה מַלְאַךְ־ד’ סָ֘בִ֤יב לִירֵאָ֗יו וַֽיְחַלְּצֵֽם׃
The angel of the L-rd camps around those who fear Him
and rescues them.
טַעֲמ֣וּ וּ֭רְאוּ כִּֽי־ט֣וֹב ד’ אַֽשְׁרֵ֥י הַ֝גֶּ֗בֶר יֶחֱסֶה־בּֽוֹ׃
Taste and see how good the L-rd is;
happy the man who takes refuge in Him!
יְר֣אוּ אֶת־ד’ קְדֹשָׁ֑יו כִּי־אֵ֥ין מַ֝חְס֗וֹר לִירֵאָֽיו׃
Fear the L-rd , you His consecrated ones,
for those who fear Him lack nothing.
כְּ֭פִירִים רָשׁ֣וּ וְרָעֵ֑בוּ וְדֹרְשֵׁ֥י ד’ לֹא־יַחְסְר֥וּ כׇל־טֽוֹב׃
Lions have been reduced to starvation,
but those who turn to the L-rd shall not lack any good.
לְֽכוּ־בָ֭נִים שִׁמְעוּ־לִ֑י יִֽרְאַ֥ת ד’ אֲלַמֶּדְכֶֽם׃
Come, my sons, listen to me;
I will teach you what it is to fear the L-rd .
מִֽי־הָ֭אִישׁ הֶחָפֵ֣ץ חַיִּ֑ים אֹהֵ֥ב יָ֝מִ֗ים לִרְא֥וֹת טֽוֹב׃
Who is the man who is eager for life,
who desires years of good fortune?
נְצֹ֣ר לְשׁוֹנְךָ֣ מֵרָ֑ע וּ֝שְׂפָתֶ֗יךָ מִדַּבֵּ֥ר מִרְמָֽה׃
Guard your tongue from evil,
your lips from deceitful speech.
ס֣וּר מֵ֭רָע וַעֲשֵׂה־ט֑וֹב בַּקֵּ֖שׁ שָׁל֣וֹם וְרׇדְפֵֽהוּ׃
Shun evil and do good,
seek amity and pursue it.
עֵינֵ֣י ד’ אֶל־צַדִּיקִ֑ים וְ֝אׇזְנָ֗יו אֶל־שַׁוְעָתָֽם׃
The eyes of the L-rd are on the righteous,
His ears attentive to their cry.
פְּנֵ֣י יד’ בְּעֹ֣שֵׂי רָ֑ע לְהַכְרִ֖ית מֵאֶ֣רֶץ זִכְרָֽם׃
The face of the L-rd is set against evildoers,
to erase their names from the earth.
צָ֭עֲקוּ וַד’ שָׁמֵ֑עַ וּמִכׇּל־צָ֝רוֹתָ֗ם הִצִּילָֽם׃
They cry out, and the L-rd hears,
and saves them from all their troubles.
קָר֣וֹב יְד’ לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי־לֵ֑ב וְֽאֶת־דַּכְּאֵי־ר֥וּחַ יוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃
The L-rd is close to the brokenhearted;
those crushed in spirit He delivers.
רַ֭בּוֹת רָע֣וֹת צַדִּ֑יק וּ֝מִכֻּלָּ֗ם יַצִּילֶ֥נּוּ ד’׃
Though the misfortunes of the righteous be many,
the L-rd will save him from them all,
שֹׁמֵ֥ר כׇּל־עַצְמוֹתָ֑יו אַחַ֥ת מֵ֝הֵ֗נָּה לֹ֣א נִשְׁבָּֽרָה׃
Keeping all his bones intact,
not one of them being broken.
תְּמוֹתֵ֣ת רָשָׁ֣ע רָעָ֑ה וְשֹׂנְאֵ֖י צַדִּ֣יק יֶאְשָֽׁמוּ׃
One misfortune is the deathblow of the wicked;
the foes of the righteous shall be ruined.
פֹּדֶ֣ה ד’ נֶ֣פֶשׁ עֲבָדָ֑יו וְלֹ֥א יֶ֝אְשְׁמ֗וּ כׇּֽל־הַחֹסִ֥ים בּֽוֹ׃
The L-rd redeems the life of His servants;
all who take refuge in Him shall not be ruined.
Inspiration
This Psalms is a reminder that all our hope should be in Hashem. In this Psalms King David proclaims from aleph to tav all should be dedicated to Hashem (Tanach, Artscroll). The verses tell of the ways in which we can trust we are saved from many evils and terrors when our trust is in Hashem, “The L-rd is close to the brokenhearted; those crushed in spirit He delivers”. In this trust there is also the duty of doing good in servitude of Hashem which is uttered in the following verses, “Guard your tongue from evil, your lips from deceitful speech” and “Shun evil and do good, seek amity and pursue it”. Rashi commentary interprets this as the seeking of peace in our place for the pursuit of it elsewhere, this is a reminder of how our actions in servitude to Hashem can impact our surroundings. The Psalms ends with a statement of reassurance that states, “all who take refuge in Him shall not be ruined”. The dedication of hope in Hashem is a comfort that inspire warmth like that of comfort food something hearty that can be both nostalgic of providing a deeper nourishment. To me that represent a classic chicken soup a well-known recipe that signifies comfort. In this recipe we deepen the flavors in the way that King David proclaims in the Psalms a deep dedication to Hashem.
Recipe
Chicken Curried Squash Soup
Ingredients:
1 10-ounce package of pureed winter squash or 1 large or 2 medium size winter squash
½ cup coconut milk (from refrigeration)
½ cup chicken broth
8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast
Tip: cut in thin slices, cubs, or put in whole and shred
1 bunch baby spinach (about 6 ounces)
2 teaspoons brown sugar
½- 1 red curry paste
¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- In a medium skillet sauté chicken (cut in strips) in one to two tablespoons of olive oil, stir occasionally till full cooked and set aside
- If using fresh winter squash clean and roast or boil till tender, scoop out squash and mash to puree consistency
- Combine squash puree, coconut and water in a saucepan cook on medium heat, and occasionally stir for about 10 minutes
- Stir in spinach, lime juice, sugar, curry paste, and salt
- Add in cooked chicken and reduce heat to simmer, for about 3 minutes
- Remove from heat and serve
By Kimberley
Reference:
www.lifescript.com/food/healthy_recipes/recipe_collections/fast_and_easy/10_dinners_in_20_minutes_or_less/4.aspx?p=1
© Copyright, all rights reserved. If you enjoyed this article, we encourage you to distribute it further.
Our blogs may contain text/quotes/references/links that include copyright material of Mechon-Mamre.org, Aish.com, Sefaria.org, Chabad.org, and/or AskNoah.org, which we use in accordance with their policies.
