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Psalm 76: Broken Weapons
by Melani Pyke on 1/31/2010 7:46:51 PM
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Psalm 76 praises God's power. Verse 3 reminds me that mankind's very best efforts, strongest weapons, and latest technology, are nothing compared to God's presence.
"There He broke the bow's flashing arrows, the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war."
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Psalm 74: "You Set the Boundaries"
by Melani Pyke on 1/29/2010 9:25:54 PM
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My painting today is based on verses 15-17 in Psalm 74, which reminds me that God is in charge. The psalm also asks God to take care of His people, since the enemy had just come in and destroyed their sanctuary, so I find it comforting to know that God has power over all of nature, ie. things bigger than us. In my painting I've tried to include the contrasting seasons, the dried up and flowing water, and the day and night which these verses mention:
15 It was you who opened up springs and streams;
you dried up the ever flowing rivers.
16 The day is yours, and yours also the night;
you established the sun and moon.
17 It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth;
you made both summer and winter.
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Psalm 73: What Else is There?
by Melani Pyke on 1/28/2010 9:38:02 PM
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Why does evil often prosper? This psalm deals with that question. My painting today is based on the conclusion, especially verses 25 and 26:
"Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever."
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Psalm 72: He Will Rule
by Melani Pyke on 1/27/2010 8:33:17 PM
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I began with a background of rivers, mountains, and fields bringing prosperity. I felt I also needed to show the good king, so I've shown him as a lion. "He will rule from sea to sea
and from the River c]">[c] to the ends of the earth." - Psalm 72 verse 8
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Psalm 71: Since My Youth and to This Day
by Melani Pyke on 1/26/2010 8:45:10 PM
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I began the painting this morning by painting the canvas all black, not sure yet what it would be. I read Psalm 71 a couple of times, and what kept jumping out at me was the idea of relying on God right from birth, and into old age, and passing that faith on to the next generation:
"From birth I have relied on you;
you brought me forth from my mother's womb.
I will ever praise you... Since my youth, O God, you have taught me,
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, O God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your might to all who are to come."
I thought of doing a line from left to right of these stages of a person's life (we read visual images from left to right just like words.) The square format didn't allow for that, though, so I put them along the spiral which I like better anyway.
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Psalm 70:
by Melani Pyke on 1/25/2010 8:51:31 PM
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No magic moment of inspiration: I was dry on ideas today, and bleary-eyed from the baby still not sleeping through the night, so I began with a smear of warm neutral colours for a background, then I wrote out my favourite line over top in a lovely Edwardian script. There was a gap on the right-hand side which was just begging for a cross, which wonderfully fit in with verse 4 where I got the text from: But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation always say,
"Let God be exalted!"
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Psalm 69: Sinking Not Sunk
by Melani Pyke on 1/24/2010 8:08:12 PM
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Psalm 69 made me think of the feeling of drowning in the troubles of this world, and yet continuing to seek God for help, and believing in His love, even when we can't see any sign of Him yet.
"Save me, O God,
for the waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in the miry depths,
where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
the floods engulf me.
I am worn out calling for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,
looking for my God." (Psalm 69:1-3)
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Psalm 68: Father to the Fatherless
by Melani Pyke on 1/23/2010 10:32:44 PM
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Verse 2 made me think of the candle with smoke:
"As smoke is blown away by the wind,
may you blow them away;
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God."...and verse 5 made me think of God as a hope for the lost, and in particular right now for suffering children in Haiti:
"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling." To combine these two ideas, I painted the image of the child and Father in the smoke of the candle.
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Psalm 67: Blessed For All To See
by Melani Pyke on 1/22/2010 8:07:17 PM
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Today's psalm talks about God blessing us so that others can see and praise God and be blessed as well. I chose to represent this by painting skyscrapers, all majestic and lit up at night just like how we are to be a bold, bright light in a dark world.
"May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine upon us,
that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations." -Psalm 67:1-2
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Psalm 63: Thirst Quenching
by Melani Pyke on 1/18/2010 8:51:30 PM
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Water in motion has got to be one of the most difficult things to paint. I just had to give it another try, though, since this psalm so eloquently describes the soul thirsting and being satisfied. 
O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.(Psalm 63:1 NIV)
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Psalm 60: Flag of Victory
by Melani Pyke on 1/15/2010 8:33:02 PM
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Psalm 60 (New International Version)For the director of music. To the tune of "The Lily of the Covenant." A miktam of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim and Aram Zobah, and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. a]">[a] b]">[b] c]">[c] 1 You have rejected us, O God, and burst forth upon us;
you have been angry-now restore us! 2 You have shaken the land and torn it open;
mend its fractures, for it is quaking. 3 You have shown your people desperate times;
you have given us wine that makes us stagger. 4 But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner
to be unfurled against the bow.
Selah 5 Save us and help us with your right hand,
that those you love may be delivered. 6 God has spoken from his sanctuary:
"In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
and measure off the Valley of Succoth. 7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet,
Judah my scepter. 8 Moab is my washbasin,
upon Edom I toss my sandal;
over Philistia I shout in triumph." 9 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom? 10 Is it not you, O God, you who have rejected us
and no longer go out with our armies? 11 Give us aid against the enemy,
for the help of man is worthless. 12 With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies.
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Psalm 59: Defense
by Melani Pyke on 1/14/2010 7:32:39 PM
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Psalm 59 is about trust in God, and it is a prayer for defense against enemies. I've painted the "bloodthirsty men" abstractly in blotches of black, so the focus is on God rather than the enemy. "Unto You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; for God is my Defense, my Fortress, and High Tower, the God Who shows me mercy and steadfast love." -Psalm 59 verse 11
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Psalm 57: Above the Heavens
by Melani Pyke on 1/13/2010 8:46:06 PM
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Psalm 57 (New Living Translation)
For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time he fled from Saul and went into the cave. To be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!” 1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!
I look to you for protection.
I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings
until the danger passes by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,a]">[a]
to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. 3 He will send help from heaven to rescue me,
disgracing those who hound me.
Interlude
My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness. 4 I am surrounded by fierce lions
who greedily devour human prey—
whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows,
and whose tongues cut like swords. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens!
May your glory shine over all the earth. 6 My enemies have set a trap for me.
I am weary from distress.
They have dug a deep pit in my path,
but they themselves have fallen into it.
Interlude
7 My heart is confident in you, O God;
my heart is confident.
No wonder I can sing your praises!
8 Wake up, my heart!
Wake up, O lyre and harp!
I will wake the dawn with my song.
9 I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.
I will sing your praises among the nations.
10 For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens.
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. 11 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.
May your glory shine over all the earth.
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Psalm 56: Trust
by Melani Pyke on 1/11/2010 8:38:17 PM
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I think this one will be among my favourites. (Right now it appeals to me because it's the dead of winter and I would rather be outside doing something like what she's doing.) But Psalm 56 is a song about trust. A mountain climber relies on their strength, and equipment, but even that can fail, and then we only have God. "In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
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Psalm 55: If I Had Wings
by Melani Pyke on 1/10/2010 8:52:20 PM
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Rather than paint the feelings of betrayal, fear, or frustration that Psalm 55 expresses, I chose to focus on the escape from the plight, as expressed in verses 6 and 7:
Oh, that I had wings like a dove;
then I would fly away and rest!
I would fly far away
to the quiet of the wilderness.
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Psalm 54: Who Sustains Me
by Melani Pyke on 1/9/2010 8:24:25 PM
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How many ways can one little artist paint a picture of crying out to God? So many of the Psalms sound similar, but today for something different I picked out my favourite line, and scrawled it across a chunky abstract layer. I love the elegance of the scripted letters against the sloppiness of the background.
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Psalm 53: Rain in the Desert
by Melani Pyke on 1/8/2010 8:46:11 PM
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Psalm 53 talks about the corruption of mankind, but the final verse says that God turns things around. I've painted a desert, a land long deprived of rain, and God's rain cloud coming along in the distance to bring life and growth back.
Is there anyone around to save Israel?
God turns life around.
Turned-around Jacob skips rope,
turned-around Israel sings laughter. (Psalm 53:6, The Message)
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Psalm 52: Olive Tree
by Melani Pyke on 1/7/2010 7:26:39 PM
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I wasn't sure at first how to illustrate this one, so I looked at a commentary for some insight. The psalm is describing an evil man, Doeg, who actually bragged about being a disgrace to God. It goes on to say that the righteous will laugh at his ruin. The righteous will be like an olive tree, which was a symbol of prosperity, because of God's love.
verses 7-8: "Here now is the man
who did not make God his stronghold
but trusted in his great wealth
and grew strong by destroying others!" But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God's unfailing love
for ever and ever.
Then I had to look up what an olive tree looks like, since we don't have them here. (This tree is a composite of whatever popped up when I googled "olive tree.")
May this image remind you of the true prosperity that God promises when we choose to follow His ways.
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Psalm 51: "Created, Renewed"
by Melani Pyke on 1/6/2010 9:29:45 PM
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Today's painting, "Created, Renewed" is based on verses 10-12 in Psalm 51, which says
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spiritd]">[d] from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you. I've tried to show this kind of renewal by illustrating the first tulip plants popping through out of winter's rot, a sign that the beauty of spring will be here soon.
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Psalm 50: The Rising of the Sun
by Melani Pyke on 1/5/2010 10:07:08 PM
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See the video and read the article here:
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2247768
A special thanks to Linda for contacting the Standard, and to Monique for a great writeup. Psalm 50 talks about God as a judge, and about the law said that the people were to make sacrifices. God wanted the people to make these sacrifices not because He needed their possessions but because the people needed a relationship with Him. My painting today focuses on this idea that God already owns and knows everything, so doesn't need us for survival, but we need Him.
I pictured a sun and moon from verse 1: "...from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,"
and the birds and animals from verse 11: "I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine."
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Psalm 49: They That Trust in Their Wealth
by Melani Pyke on 1/4/2010 8:14:03 PM
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I've titled this one "They That Trust in Their Wealth."
This Psalm reminds me of that old saying, "You never see a U-Haul behind a hearse!" and also makes me think of some of the properties I've encountered around the region while in real estate, the ones which once were someone's pride and joy but have become dilapidated from years of vacancy.
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Psalm 48: Zion
by Melani Pyke on 1/3/2010 8:29:19 PM
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Today's painting depicts the city of God, Mount Zion, which I've pictured here as a beautiful city overlooking the ocean at dusk. For me it's a symbol of hope, and of God's kingdom established for all to see and be warmly welcomed into.
1 Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise,
in the city of our God, his holy mountain. 2 It is beautiful in its loftiness,
the joy of the whole earth.
Like the utmost heights of Zaphon a]">[a] is Mount Zion,
the b]">[b] city of the Great King. 3 God is in her citadels;
he has shown himself to be her fortress. 4 When the kings joined forces,
when they advanced together, 5 they saw her and were astounded;
they fled in terror. 6 Trembling seized them there,
pain like that of a woman in labor. 7 You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish
shattered by an east wind. 8 As we have heard,
so have we seen
in the city of the LORD Almighty,
in the city of our God:
God makes her secure forever.
Selah 9 Within your temple, O God,
we meditate on your unfailing love. 10 Like your name, O God,
your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;
your right hand is filled with righteousness. 11 Mount Zion rejoices,
the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments. 12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
count her towers, 13 consider well her ramparts,
view her citadels,
that you may tell of them to the next generation. 14 For this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide even to the end. (Psalm 48, NIV)
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Psalm 47: Sing, Clap, Shout, and Sound the Trumpets!
by Melani Pyke on 1/2/2010 7:19:46 PM
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Today's Psalm is loud with singing, shouting, trumpeting, and hand clapping. For today's painting, then, I have tried to express it by giving it the look of a jazz painting, with bright colours and bold, exaggerated images.
Psalm 47 (New International Version)For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. 1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy. 2 How awesome is the LORD Most High,
the great King over all the earth! 3 He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet. 4 He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
Selah 5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets. 6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises. 7 For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm a]">[a] of praise. 8 God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne. 9 The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings b]">[b] of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.
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Psalm 46: Be Still
by Melani Pyke on 1/1/2010 8:12:59 PM
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Psalm 46 talks about God's protection from enemies. It uses the drama of nature to illustrate this, which helped me dream up this landscape for my painting today.
Psalm 46 (New International Version)
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A song.a]">[a] 1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day. 6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah 8 Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields b]">[b] with fire. 10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth." 11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
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