Psalm 79—Artwork

Learn more about Christ in the Psalms artwork and download artwork guides here.

Person: William Emerson

My name is William Emerson, I grew up in Colorado with a desire to explore and uncover truths about myself and God through His creation. Like many, nature has captivated me and God has used it to reflect to me deep truths about life in Him. I found the narrative of this psalm in the workings of animals in the wilderness.

Piece

Wood carving and burning.

PROCESS

In Psalm 79, Israel (The Sheep) cries out to God for salvation after Babylon (The Wolf) has conquered Jerusalem. The chosen people of God find themselves cornered and desperate for rescue from this threat. They are begging for God to remove the immediate threat in their life and it is not until near the end of the Psalm that they ask for forgiveness and humble themselves as sheep in need of a shepherd. They are so focused on a very real threat that they first enter their prayer mad at God and mourning, asking how long He will let this go on, as if to say that if He has issue with his people, He needs to let it go because they have bigger problems than a broken relationship with their God. After their expression of sorrow and plea, they recognize that a breaking has taken place between God and His chosen people.

The broken reality of sin (the toxic locoweed in the sheep’s mouth) is a deeper internal issue that goes beyond even the most pressing of present circumstance. God does eventually retrieve Israel from Babylon (the arrow through the wolf) but the herd has a deeper issue they have inflicted on themselves that only the shepherd can undo.

While creating this piece, I wanted to tell two stories of salvation: God does offer rescue from immediate and painful trials at times, but it often is not in the timing and way that we hope for and we still have our own sin to bring to Him regardless of the outcome of the immediate hurt. The narrative of a sheep hunted by a wolf captured the immediate threats we feel and the self inflicted poisoning of the sheep felt an accurate narrative to our own sin.

Burning and carving this scene required hundreds of repetitive motions and in the repetition I find there is a meditative worship that takes place, inviting the Spirit to engrain the narrative of this Psalm in me as I work through creating the scene.

in Blog • Christ in the Psalms Artwork

June 3, 2018

This is week two of our annual summer series, Christ in the Psalms. The Psalms give us a vocabulary and a “hymnal” for relating to God through the full range of human experience and emotion, ultimately pointing us to Jesus. Now in its seventh year, Christ in the Psalms has covered one psalm each week, up through Psalm 78. You can find all of those sermons here. Additionally, over the last four years, different artists within our community have done a piece of artwork for each Psalm, starting with Psalm 41. You can see and read about each of those here.

This week we’ll discuss Psalm 79. Here’s how you can prepare:

1. Read through our text, Psalm 79.

In Psalm 79, we learn a couple of (hard) lessons. First, God loves us too much to let us live foolishly. Second, God’s love frees us from demanding retribution on our enemies.

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 9:1–2, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):

To all who are weary and need rest,
To all who mourn and long for comfort,
To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares,
To all who fail and desire strength,
To all who sin and need a Savior,
This church opens wide her doors
with a welcome from Jesus Christ,
the Ally of His enemies, the Defender of the guilty,
the Justifier of the inexcusable, the Friend of sinners.
Welcome!

Before The Throne Of God (Charitie Lees Bancroft)
Your Name Is Good (Psalm 54) (Joel Limpic, Scott Mills)

CONFESSION OF SIN: Psalm 79:8–9

His Mercy Is More (Matt Boswell, Matt Papa)

What A Beautiful Name (Ben Fielding, Brooke Ligertwood)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Ephesians 2:18–22

GREETING, SERMON, & COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

In Tenderness (Garvey, Gordon, Walton arr. Brian Eichelberger)
Reckless Love (Cory Asbury, Caleb Culver, Ran Jackson)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

Psalm 78—Artwork

Learn more about Christ in the Psalms artwork and download artwork guides here.

Person: Jacques Gerber

My name is Jacques Gerber. I create content using photography, videography, and digital media for visual storytelling. I am currently finishing up my Master of Divinty at Denver Seminary. My creative background stems from my Bachelors degree from Denver University in Emergent Digital Practices.

Piece

Digital Media—Photo Manipulation

PROCESS

After reading and meditating on Psalm 78, I notice a Father who constantly chases and runs after a people who are disobedient and ungrateful. In particular, this piece distinctly reflects verses 6–8 and 38.

The blue in the photo—an earth tone—represents the ripple effect that each generation’s teachings and actions have on the next. In this case, the apathy and amnesia of Israel should be abnegated and, instead, the hope and works of YHWH should be used for instructing and remembrance. Verse 38, despite the rebellion and transgressions of God’s people, shows the character of God: a pursuant and loving Father who provides what is most necessary.

The red in the image represents the blood of Jesus who atoned for the sins of many as propitiation with His blood. In the following verses, the burning anger, wrath, and judgement can be seen by the intensity of this piece.

However, when one looks at the eye and color, you will find a silhouette of the person in the gaze of the one who gives life. The eye has a narrow, white light in the shape of a cross that represents the hope to come for Israel, and that this hope is marked by the Light that will sacrifice His life for a people who are ungrateful. This circles back to the beginning of the psalm and helped me realize that our Abba is fiercely jealous and strongly desires all generations to know of what He has done, and how we can respond faithfully knowing that we are being guided by Him (72).

in Blog • Christ in the Psalms Artwork

May 27, 2018

Every summer at Park Church, we spend several weeks in the Psalms. The Psalms give us a vocabulary and a “hymnal” for relating to God through the full range of human experience and emotion, ultimately pointing us to Jesus. This annual series, now in its seventh year, is called Christ in the Psalms. Up to this point we have gone week-by-week through Psalm 77, and you can find each of those sermons here. Additionally, since 2015 (starting with Psalm 41), different artists within our community have done a piece of artwork for each Psalm. You can see and read about each of those here.

As for this year, we begin this weekend with Psalm 78. Here’s how you can prepare:

1. Read through our text, Psalm 78.

Psalm 78 puts forward, in vivid color, the message that courses through the whole of Scripture: In the midst of our constant sin and rebellion, God responds with justice and His great mercy. He alone atones for our sin and forgives our iniquities. Set your hope in this God.

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 105:1–3, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):

To all who are weary and need rest,
To all who mourn and long for comfort,
To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares,
To all who fail and desire strength,
To all who sin and need a Savior,
This church opens wide her doors
with a welcome from Jesus Christ,
the Ally of His enemies, the Defender of the guilty,
the Justifier of the inexcusable, the Friend of sinners.
Welcome!

Grace Alone (Dustin Kensrue)
On Christ The Solid Rock (William Batchelder Bradbury and Edward Mote, arr. Austin Stone)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

Gracious God,
our sins are too heavy to carry,
too real to hide,
and too deep to undo.
Forgive what our lips tremble to name,
what our hearts can no longer bear,
and what has become for us
a consuming fire of judgment.
Set us free from a past that we cannot change;
open to us a future in which we can be changed; and grant us grace
to grow more and more in your likeness and image; through Jesus Christ,
the light of the world. Amen.

Yet Even Now (Joel Limpic)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: John 10:27–30

O Praise The Name (Anástasis) (Benjamin Hastings, Marty Sampson, Dean Ussher)

GREETING, SERMON, & COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

Jesus What A Savior (Kirby Kaple)
No Longer Slaves (Joel Case, Jonathan David Hesler, Brian Johnson)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

May 20, 2018

It’s our 19th and final of Genesis at Park Church, a series where we’ve been discussing God’s foundational worldview for His people and their purpose in His world. Here’s how you can prepare:

1. Read through our text, Genesis 37–50.

Last week we saw how God sovereignly works in and through all things to accomplish His redemptive purposes in the world. This week, we will look again at the life of Joseph to see how trusting in God’s purposes can lead to a life of freedom.

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 105:1–3, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):

To all who are weary and need rest,
To all who mourn and long for comfort,
To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares,
To all who fail and desire strength,
To all who sin and need a Savior,
This church opens wide her doors
with a welcome from Jesus Christ,
the Ally of His enemies, the Defender of the guilty,
the Justifier of the inexcusable, the Friend of sinners.
Welcome!

Doxology (Amen) (Louis Bourgeois, Thomas Ken, Phil Wickham)
What A Beautiful Name (Ben Fielding, Brooke Ligertwood)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From All Season Prayers by Scotty Smith:

Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love You,
and worthily magnify Your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

King Of My Heart (John Mark McMillan, Sarah McMillan)

He Will Hold Me Fast (Ada R. Habershon)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: John 10:27–30

GREETING, SERMON, & COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

O Come To The Altar (Brock, Brown, Furtick, and Joye)
In Christ Alone (Stuart Townend, Keith Getty)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

May 13, 2018

It’s the second-to-last week (week 18) of Genesis at Park Church, a series where we’ve been discussing God’s foundational worldview for His people and their purpose in His world. Here’s how you can prepare:

1. Read through our text, Genesis 37–50.

In the midst of suffering, we tend to doubt the presence of God and the goodness of God. Joseph’s story shows us that God sovereignly works in and through brokenness and sin to accomplish His redemptive purposes in the world.

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Isaiah 44:6–8, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):

To all who are weary and need rest,
To all who mourn and long for comfort,
To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares,
To all who fail and desire strength,
To all who sin and need a Savior,
This church opens wide her doors
with a welcome from Jesus Christ,
the Ally of His enemies, the Defender of the guilty,
the Justifier of the inexcusable, the Friend of sinners.
the Conqueror of the grave, the resurrection and the life.
Welcome!

Build My Life (Barrett, Kable, Martin, Redman, Younker, arr. Pat Barrett)
All The Poor And Powerless (David Leonard, Leslie Jordan)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From Every Season Prayers by Scotty Smith:

Dear heavenly Father,
we come into Your presence this day
only because Your mercies are new every morning.
We stand before You in this place
only because we stand firmly in Your grace.
We dare call You Abba Father
only because You have made us Your beloved sons and daughters.
We freely confess our sins to You
only because You fully gave Jesus for us.

For the ways we loved poorly this past week—
in our families, at our vocations, and among our neighbors, forgive us.
From the foolish idols to which we cling,
the broken cisterns from which we drink,
and the false lovers to which we turn, free us.
For not believing Jesus is enough and Your grace is sufficient,
and for not trusting You to be really sovereign and really good,
have mercy on us.
Our hope rests alone in Jesus’ finished work
and Your steadfast love.
Amen.

Cornerstone (Bradbury, Liljero, Morgan, Mote, Myrin)

Christ The Sure And Steady Anchor (Matt Boswell, Matt Papa)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Romans 8:28–32

GREETING, SERMON, & COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

He Will Hold Me Fast (Ada R. Habershon)
Seas Of Crimson (Johnson, Bashta, Taylor, Strand)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday