Tehillim 91
יֹ֭שֵׁב בְּסֵ֣תֶר עֶלְי֑וֹן בְּצֵ֥ל שַׁ֝דַּ֗י יִתְלוֹנָֽן׃
O you who dwell in the shelter of the Most High
and abide in the protection of Shaddai—
אֹמַ֗ר לַ֭יהֹוָה מַחְסִ֣י וּמְצוּדָתִ֑י אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אֶבְטַח־בּֽוֹ׃
I say of the LORD, my refuge and stronghold,
my G-d in whom I trust,
כִּ֤י ה֣וּא יַ֭צִּילְךָ מִפַּ֥ח יָק֗וּשׁ מִדֶּ֥בֶר הַוּֽוֹת׃
that He will save you from the fowler’s trap,
from the destructive plague.
בְּאֶבְרָת֨וֹ ׀ יָ֣סֶךְ לָ֭ךְ וְתַחַת־כְּנָפָ֣יו תֶּחְסֶ֑ה צִנָּ֖ה וְסֹחֵרָ֣ה אֲמִתּֽוֹ׃
He will cover you with His pinions;
you will find refuge under His wings;
His fidelity is an encircling shield.
לֹֽא־תִ֭ירָא מִפַּ֣חַד לָ֑יְלָה מֵ֝חֵ֗ץ יָע֥וּף יוֹמָֽם׃
You need not fear the terror by night,
or the arrow that flies by day,
מִ֭דֶּבֶר בָּאֹ֣פֶל יַהֲלֹ֑ךְ מִ֝קֶּ֗טֶב יָשׁ֥וּד צׇהֳרָֽיִם׃
the plague that stalks in the darkness,
or the scourge that ravages at noon.
יִפֹּ֤ל מִצִּדְּךָ֨ ׀ אֶ֗לֶף וּרְבָבָ֥ה מִימִינֶ֑ךָ אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א יִגָּֽשׁ׃
A thousand may fall at your left side,
ten thousand at your right,
but it shall not reach you.
רַ֭ק בְּעֵינֶ֣יךָ תַבִּ֑יט וְשִׁלֻּמַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תִּרְאֶֽה׃
You will see it with your eyes,
you will witness the punishment of the wicked.
כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֣ה מַחְסִ֑י עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן שַׂ֣מְתָּ מְעוֹנֶֽךָ׃
Because you took the LORD—my refuge,
the Most High—as your haven,
לֹא־תְאֻנֶּ֣ה אֵלֶ֣יךָ רָעָ֑ה וְ֝נֶ֗גַע לֹא־יִקְרַ֥ב בְּאׇהֳלֶֽךָ׃
no harm will befall you,
no disease touch your tent.
כִּ֣י מַ֭לְאָכָיו יְצַוֶּה־לָּ֑ךְ לִ֝שְׁמׇרְךָ֗ בְּכׇל־דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃
For He will order His angels
to guard you wherever you go.
עַל־כַּפַּ֥יִם יִשָּׂא֑וּנְךָ פֶּן־תִּגֹּ֖ף בָּאֶ֣בֶן רַגְלֶֽךָ׃
They will carry you in their hands
lest you hurt your foot on a stone.
עַל־שַׁ֣חַל וָפֶ֣תֶן תִּדְרֹ֑ךְ תִּרְמֹ֖ס כְּפִ֣יר וְתַנִּֽין׃
You will tread on cubs and vipers;
you will trample lions and asps.
כִּ֤י בִ֣י חָ֭שַׁק וַאֲפַלְּטֵ֑הוּ אֲ֝שַׂגְּבֵ֗הוּ כִּֽי־יָדַ֥ע שְׁמִֽי׃
“Because he is devoted to Me I will deliver him;
I will keep him safe, for he knows My name.
יִקְרָאֵ֨נִי ׀ וְֽאֶעֱנֵ֗הוּ עִמּֽוֹ־אָנֹכִ֥י בְצָרָ֑ה אֲ֝חַלְּצֵ֗הוּ וַאֲכַבְּדֵֽהוּ׃
When he calls on Me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in distress;
I will rescue him and make him honored;
אֹ֣רֶךְ יָ֭מִים אַשְׂבִּיעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝אַרְאֵ֗הוּ בִּישׁוּעָתִֽי׃ {פ}
I will let him live to a ripe old age,
and show him My salvation.”
Inspiration
This Tehillim describes a sense of the many situations in which one can always trust in Hashem whether it is a trap or just a call of distress Hashem provides what is needed to overcome. The words “trust” and “will” denote a finality in finding all things in Hashem. A shelter, a tent, and a haven are all a reminder of safety. A trust in the Hashem will bring refuge and protection from all things. Rashi’s commentary elaborates on this stating trust in Hashem can help to eliminate fear. Artscroll commentary notes that after verse fourteen we are reading a response from Hashem bringing a confirmation that no conventional protection is equivalent to refuge and protection from Hashem. In this, I am inspired to think of what is given to sustain us something basic yet full of the ability to change into a multitude of things. Grains, in particular rice grains, are a diverse food crop coming in different sizes and colors working not only as a side dish but incorporated into a main dish.
Recipe
Black Rice Curried Meatloaf
Ingredients
½ cup Black rice or long-grain brown or wild rice
1 cup water
1 medium zucchini, largely shredded
1 tablespoon walnut oil or olive oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger root
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds of lean ground meat of your choosing (i.e. ground beef, turkey, or chicken)
1/3 cup mango chutney or red pepper jelly
Instructions
In a small saucepan over high heat bring rice and water to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low, simmer till rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 30 to 50 minutes (depending on the rice used) let stand for 10 minutes removed from heat
Remove moisture from shredded zucchini using a strainer or cheesecloth
In a large pan heat oil over medium heat, add ginger and garlic and stir for 30 seconds, then add onions, celery, and zucchini and let cook till tender (about 5 minutes)
Add curry powder and stir for one minute
Stir in Worcestershire sauce and salt and stir till ingredients are well combined
Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl to cook for 15 minutes
Heat over to 350 ° F degrees (176 ° C)
Prepare a baking dish or broiler pan by coating it with cooking spray
On a cutting board, add spoons of rice chop them into smaller pieces, and add to the bowl with vegetables
Add ground meat and egg, and mix until well blended
Place mixture in a baking dish and form into a loaf
Spread mango chutney or red pepper jelly on top
Bake for 1 hour or 75 minutes depending on the meat used
Let cool for 10 minutes, then slice and add additional mango chutney or red pepper jelly
By Kimberly
References:
https://www.sefaria.org/Psalms.91.1?lang=bi&with=Rashi&lang2=en
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