Psalm 46 is one of my favorite chapters in all of Scripture. The text explains a vibrant picture of God as our stronghold and fortress. After watching the presentation on faith and art, I thought of Psalm 46 for the descriptive symbolism attached to the text. The verses themselves do not verbally express how God is the Creator or how we each possess different gifts and talents from Him. However, Psalm 46 artistically visualizes the immense power of God and His kingdom.
For example, verses two through three of Psalm 46 say, “Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains are moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” (Psalm 46:2-3, ESV Bible.). The detailed text illustrates God’s power over all creation. Choosing words such as “roar” to express the height of a wave provides a visual aid, whereas if it stated “waters stilled” in the chapter, it could change the context entirely. God’s creation inspired the author of Psalm to use such phrasing and words to build up the importance and depth of the meaning behind the chapter. With the inspiration, it relates to many artists today. Many individuals are motivated by what is around their everyday life, and when reading Psalm 46, I not only understand God’s power and love, I see a painting come to life through the creative mind God gave the author.
In Psalm and throughout Scripture, the symbolism of creation shows God’s creativity and character. Connecting faith to art can take on various forms, as explained in the first few chapters of our textbooks in module one. The Bible does not have to mention artwork or how God physically created the world to paint a picture of who He is and who He made us to be. I find chapters such as Psalm 46 vivid and emotional, revealing God’s heart and love for all creation. And with the knowledge of symbolism, approaching art and Scripture in such a way can broaden faith in God and connect each believer to past and present artists.
Hannah J. Pasquini © 2023
References:
The English Standard (ESV) Bible Psalm 46:2-3
