Student Projects
Stay for a while and listen
Poetry inspired by reflections on the Psalms
Author: Jared Scrowther
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Psalm 22
Artist: Marissa Smith
Description: This Psalm is packed with lots of imagery and figurative language. It has so many instances where it seems point to the gospel and the events leading up to and during the crucifixion. While reading Shane Wood’s book, “Between Two Trees” all I could imagine in my head was the fact that the act in Genesis 3 led to the events of the crucifixion in the gospels, which results one day in our reconciliation with the father; shaded beneath the branches of the tree of life.
The apple at the foot of the cross is the reminder of what had been, during the time of Eden. The scene of Mary at the foot of the cross is a reminder of the present time; the time where tears, death, and pain is all too common for men and women. These are the times when we are reminded of the darkness connected to us through the union with death during Genesis 3. In the third image you see where the color of the tree is gold when wholeness begins in our lives, and the darkness loses its reign on humanity. The language of death is no longer present and we once again are connected to the light and life that was poisoned through the hastiness of picking that fruit and eating it in the garden of Eden.
Psalm 22 is so often painted with imagery from the crucifixion. So I thought why not put Psalm 22 into correlation to what is to come. focusing on the victorious final words of the psalm, correlating with the “It is finished” statement of Jesus from the cross and the prediction of the second coming. It all correlates together to see the whole picture of between two trees and the tree between them.
Psalm 17
Artist: Abigail Ehresman
Description: This watercolor painting was inspired by Psalm 17:8, “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.” I wanted to illustrate the level of intimacy in the relationship between David and God that is portrayed in this Psalm. In order to be able to see yourself in another person’s eye, you have to be relatively close, and most people only get that close to someone they love or care for. The fact that David wants to be that close to God shows his desire for an intimate relationship.
The whole idea of being so close to someone that you can see yourself in their eye is so striking to me. I wanted to show the literal translation of this Psalm, with the “little man” of David in the eye of God. I decided to show that it was David being reflected in God’s eye through the sling in his hand. I also showed that it was meant to be David through picking clothing that was used in his time. I gave him a red cloak as a hint towards the fact that he is called a “man of blood” in 1 Chronicles 28:3. He has a gold edging on his clothing to represent his kingship over Israel.
God’s eye is surrounded by wrinkles, not necessarily to show worry, but rather to show that he cares. Age is also associated with glory and respect in Proverbs 16:31, where is says, “Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness,” and again in, Proverbs 20:28-29, “Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love his throne is made secure. The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.” Thus, the glory associated with God is represented in the wrinkles as well.
Another aspect of the painting is the color of the eyebrow and eye. I chose to give God a reddish eyebrow color because Jesus, God’s son, came from the line of David and David is said to have had red hair.
Psalm 148
Artist: Aislyn Wright
Description: My painting of Psalm 148 is a depiction of everything that the psalmist commands to praise God in its natural environment praising God. I placed subtle images in every painting of at least one of the worshipers “lifting its hands” towards heaven. In the first painting, which depicts the subjects of verses 3 and 4, I gave the sun two longer solar flares that resemble arms lifted up. In the second painting, which depicts the subjects of verses 7 and 8, the squid has its tentacles lifted up, the lightning has two of its “branches” pointing upwards, and almost all of the wind is directed upward. In the third painting based on verses 9 and 10, the mountain has two minor peaks resembling arms pointed upward, the fruit trees have branches lifted upward, the lion has its front legs up as it is pouncing on its prey, the cattle have separated into two separate lines which resemble uplifted arms, and the top right bird to the right of the mountain has both of its wings pointed directly up towards heaven. Finally, in the last painting based on verses 11 and 12, all the worshipers are lifting their hands towards heaven, praising God together.