Tehillim 81
לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ עַֽל־הַגִּתִּ֬ית לְאָסָֽף׃
For the leader; on the gittith. Of Asaph.
הַ֭רְנִינוּ לֵאלֹקים עוּזֵּ֑נוּ הָ֝רִ֗יעוּ לֵאלֹהֵ֥י יַעֲקֹֽב׃
Sing joyously to G-d, our strength;
raise a shout for the G-d of Jacob.
שְֽׂאוּ־זִ֭מְרָה וּתְנוּ־תֹ֑ף כִּנּ֖וֹר נָעִ֣ים עִם־נָֽבֶל׃
Take up the song,
sound the timbrel,
the melodious lyre and harp.
תִּקְע֣וּ בַחֹ֣דֶשׁ שׁוֹפָ֑ר בַּ֝כֵּ֗סֶה לְי֣וֹם חַגֵּֽנוּ׃
Blow the horn on the new moon,
on the full moon for our feast day.
כִּ֤י חֹ֣ק לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל ה֑וּא מִ֝שְׁפָּ֗ט לֵאלֹקי יַעֲקֹֽב׃
For it is a law for Israel,
a ruling of the G-d of Jacob;
עֵ֤דוּת ׀ בִּיה֘וֹסֵ֤ף שָׂמ֗וֹ בְּ֭צֵאתוֹ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם שְׂפַ֖ת לֹא־יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶשְׁמָֽע׃
He imposed it as a decree upon Joseph
when he went forth from-a the land of Egypt;
I heard a language that I knew not.
הֲסִיר֣וֹתִי מִסֵּ֣בֶל שִׁכְמ֑וֹ כַּ֝פָּ֗יו מִדּ֥וּד תַּעֲבֹֽרְנָה׃
I relieved his shoulder of the burden,
his hands were freed from the basket.
בַּצָּרָ֥ה קָרָ֗אתָ וָאֲחַ֫לְּצֶ֥ךָּ אֶ֭עֶנְךָ בְּסֵ֣תֶר רַ֑עַם אֶבְחׇנְךָ֨ עַל־מֵ֖י מְרִיבָ֣ה סֶֽלָה׃
In distress you called and I rescued you;
I answered you from the secret place of thunder-b
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah.
שְׁמַ֣ע עַ֭מִּי וְאָעִ֣ידָה בָּ֑ךְ יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל אִם־תִּֽשְׁמַֽע־לִֽי׃
Hear, My people, and I will admonish you;
Israel, if you would but listen to Me!
לֹא־יִהְיֶ֣ה בְ֭ךָ אֵ֣ל זָ֑ר וְלֹ֥א תִ֝שְׁתַּחֲוֶ֗ה לְאֵ֣ל נֵכָֽר׃
You shall have no foreign god,
you shall not bow to an alien god.
אָֽנֹכִ֨י ׀ ד’ אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ הַֽ֭מַּעַלְךָ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם הַרְחֶב־פִּ֝֗יךָ וַאֲמַלְאֵֽהוּ׃
I the L-rd am your G-d
who brought you out of the land of Egypt;
open your mouth wide and I will fill it.
וְלֹֽא־שָׁמַ֣ע עַמִּ֣י לְקוֹלִ֑י וְ֝יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֹא־אָ֥בָה לִֽי׃
But My people would not listen to Me,
Israel would not obey Me.
וָ֭אֲשַׁלְּחֵהוּ בִּשְׁרִיר֣וּת לִבָּ֑ם יֵ֝לְכ֗וּ בְּֽמוֹעֲצ֖וֹתֵיהֶֽם׃
So I let them go after their willful heart
that they might follow their own devices.
ל֗וּ עַ֭מִּי שֹׁמֵ֣עַֽ לִ֑י יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל בִּדְרָכַ֥י יְהַלֵּֽכוּ׃
If only My people would listen to Me,
if Israel would follow My paths,
כִּ֭מְעַט אוֹיְבֵיהֶ֣ם אַכְנִ֑יעַ וְעַ֥ל צָ֝רֵיהֶ֗ם אָשִׁ֥יב יָדִֽי׃
then would I subdue their enemies at once,
strike their foes again and again.
מְשַׂנְאֵ֣י ד יְכַחֲשׁוּ־ל֑וֹ וִיהִ֖י עִתָּ֣ם לְעוֹלָֽם׃
Those who hate the L-rd shall cower before Him;
their doom shall be eternal.
וַֽ֭יַּאֲכִילֵהוּ מֵחֵ֣לֶב חִטָּ֑ה וּ֝מִצּ֗וּר דְּבַ֣שׁ אַשְׂבִּיעֶֽךָ׃ {פ}
He fed them the finest wheat;
I sated you with honey from the rock.
Inspiration
I recognize in this chapter of Tehillim there is a deep sense of instruction and praise for what G-d can truly do for us if we call out to Him in prayer. What stood out to me in this Tehillim where verses 13 through 15.
וָ֭אֲשַׁלְּחֵהוּ בִּשְׁרִיר֣וּת לִבָּ֑ם יֵ֝לְכ֗וּ בְּֽמוֹעֲצ֖וֹתֵיהֶֽם׃
So I let them go after their willful heart
that they might follow their own devices.ל֗וּ עַ֭מִּי שֹׁמֵ֣עַֽ לִ֑י יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל בִּדְרָכַ֥י יְהַלֵּֽכוּ׃
If only My people would listen to Me,
if Israel would follow My paths,כִּ֭מְעַט אוֹיְבֵיהֶ֣ם אַכְנִ֑יעַ וְעַ֥ל צָ֝רֵיהֶ֗ם אָשִׁ֥יב יָדִֽי׃
then would I subdue their enemies at once,
strike their foes again and again.
Rashi commentary explains these verses as even those who go after their hearts desire, if they have a desire to return, they can hearken to G-d and be received.
While the verse verbiage speaks to Israel; as a nation that is to be the light on to all nations there is something for all creation to learn from the abundant mercy of the Almighty.
The Tehillim ends with
וַֽ֭יַּאֲכִילֵהוּ מֵחֵ֣לֶב חִטָּ֑ה וּ֝מִצּ֗וּר דְּבַ֣שׁ אַשְׂבִּיעֶֽךָ׃
He fed them the finest wheat;
I sated you with honey from the rock.
Which has inspired a recipe with honey and a refined take on the tradition of the finest wheat with the use of a wheat alternative.
Recipe
Almond Flour Muffins
Ingredients
Coconut oil, Vegetable oil, Olive oil (for greasing pan)
3 cups almond Flour
*Substitution: Whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamon
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
*Substitution: Apples, Pears, Cranberries
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup honey or agave
3 eggs
2 Tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (162 degrees Celsius)
Oil a muffin pan with coconut oil or vegetable oil
In a large mixing bowl combine almond flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cardamon
In a sperate bowl combine honey, vanilla, and eggs, mix together well
Add blueberries (or chosen fruit) to the egg mixture
Add egg mixture to flour mixture, mix together well
Fill each section of the muffin pan evenly close to the top of each cup
Sprinkle each muffin with a pinch of chia seeds
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes
*To check muffins, stick with toothpick or butter knife to check for wet batter
By Kimberley
Sources:
Blum, S. (2017). Immune system recovery plan. Orion.
Psalms 81:2. (n.d.). Sefaria: a Living Library of Jewish Texts Online. https://www.sefaria.org/Psalms.81.2?lang=bi&with=Rashi&lang2=en
Tehillim (Psalms) – Chapter 81. (n.d.). https://www.chabad.org. https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16302/showrashi/true
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