Finding the Holy Spirit in the Psalms of Lament
Psalms are songs and poetry. They are tools to learn how to express our feelings to God.
This project started in the summer of 2025, when I met a friend who was doing her Ph.D. in the 9 pure lament psalms. I wondered if I could listen and paint my feelings to God which would then lead back to Him. Starting in January of 2026, I began with collage layer of hymns, then acrylic ink and acrylic paint. Each one started with God, then expressed my lament, and ended back with God as each pattern of pure lament unfolded as my prayer. At the same time, I was involved in finding visuals for names of the Holy Spirit for a summer study. As we picked the names of the Holy Spirit found in both Old Testament and New Testament, I realized each of the paintings fit a name. God was naming the paintings before I was finished as well as combining two of my projects. I was discovering that the Holy Spirit was described in the Old Testament psalms by each particular characteristic name. Not only does the painting describe a name of the Holy Spirit, but it is my prayer of lament finding the Holy Spirit already there in the psalm. As you view each painting, I invite you to discover for yourself, the triune God, Father, Son and Spirit, in each of these psalms of lament!
Breath of Life- Psalm 26 24 x 24 x 1.5 in. canvas acrylic mixed media, unframed signed original $500.00
Living Water-Psalm 142 24 x 24 x 1.5 in. canvas Acrylic mixed media, unframed signed original $500.00
Tongues of Fire- Psalm 140 24 x 24 x 1.5 inche canvas Acrylic mixed media, unframed signed original $500.00
Healing-Psalm 54 24 x 24 x 1.5 in. canvas Acrylic mixed media, unframed signed original $500.00
Empowered Witness- Psalm 22 24 x 24 x 1.5 in. canvas Acrylic Mixed media, unframed signed original $500.00
Prophecy- Psalm 27 24 x 24 x 1.5 in. canvas Acrylic Mixed media, unframed signed original $500.00
Hovering Dove-Psalm 5 24 x 24 x 1.5 in. canvas Acrylic Mixed media, unframed signed original $500.00
Redemptive Suffering= Psalm 13 24 x 24 x 1.5 in. canvas Acrylic Mixed media, unframed signed origianl $500.00
Anointing Oil- Psalm 56 24 x 24 x 1.5 in. canvas Acrylic mixed media, unframed signed original $500.00
Breath of Life
Psalm 26
“Declare me innocent, O Lord, for I have acted with integrity; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart. For I am always aware of your unfailing love, and I have lived according to your truth. I do not spend time with liars or go along with hypocrites. I hate the gatherings of those who do evil, and I refuse to join in with the wicked. I wash my hands to declare my innocence. I come to your altar, O Lord, singing a song of thanksgiving and telling of all your wonders. I love your sanctuary, Lord, the place where your glorious presence dwells. Don’t let me suffer the fate of sinners. Don’t condemn me along with murderers. their hands are dirty with evil schemes, and they constantly take bribes. But I am not like that; I live with integrity. So redeem me and show me mercy. Now I stand on solid ground, and I will publicly praise the Lord.”
Psalms 26:1-9, 11-12 NLT
I started with turquoise and raw sienna which took on the color of amber. Amber is associated with God’s glory and judgement in scripture. I added some burnt umber to signify solid footing and bronze ink which signifies strength in shields and weapons. The browns and darks speaks of the earth and our humanity of being sinners, dirty with evil. Turquoise appears in descriptions of temple adornment and the New Jerusalem reflecting peace, healing and being set apart. The fluidity of the inks lent themselves to the airiness of of breath and added film of white for the air of breath.
Living Water
Psalm 142
“I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord’s mercy. I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles. When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me. I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me. Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. Bring me out of prison so I can thank you. The godly will crowd around me, for you are good to me.”
NLT
I used raw sienna for the lights and God because I liked it in combination with the blues. He uses verbs of pour and overwhelmed as in the feelings of being under water.I had felt to start with pthalo blue and turquoise before I knew the title was Living Water. The dark blues of the depths formed a type of a prison that the Psalmist pleads to be brought out of so he can thank God.
Tongues of Fire
Psalm 140
“O Lord, rescue me from evil people. Protect me from those who are violent, those who plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long. Their tongues sting like a snake; the venom of a viper drips from their lips. Interlude O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked. Protect me from those who are violent, for they are plotting against me. The proud have set a trap to catch me; they have stretched out a net; they have placed traps all along the way. Interlude I said to the Lord, “You are my God!” Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy! O Sovereign Lord, the strong one who rescued me, you protected me on the day of battle. Lord, do not let evil people have their way. Do not let their evil schemes succeed, or they will become proud. Interlude Let my enemies be destroyed by the very evil they have planned for me. Let burning coals fall down on their heads. Let them be thrown into the fire or into watery pits from which they can’t escape. Don’t let liars prosper here in our land. Cause great disasters to fall on the violent. But I know the Lord will help those they persecute; he will give justice to the poor. Surely righteous people are praising your name; the godly will live in your presence.”
Psalms 140:1-13 NLT
Before I even knew the title of this painting, it began to look like tongues of fire and water with the color palette of blues and opposite oranges with the darks as coal colors. Looking for the name of the Holy Spirit as “tongues of fire” became evident with tthe descriptive words of the psalm…burning coals, tongues, into the fire, watery pits. The painting was describing both the psalm and the name. Psalm 18 describes righteous rage and cleansing of a holy God…”his mouth spits fire. Tongues of fire dart in and out, He lowers the sky. He steps down; under his feet an abyss opens up.”
Hovering Dove
Psalm 5
“O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness; you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked. Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence, for you hate all who do evil. You will destroy those who tell lies. The Lord detests murderers and deceivers. Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe. Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me. Make your way plain for me to follow. My enemies cannot speak a truthful word. Their deepest desire is to destroy others. Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with flattery. O God, declare them guilty. Let them be caught in their own traps. Drive them away because of their many sins, for they have rebelled against you. But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy. For you bless the godly, O Lord; you surround them with your shield of love.”
Psalms 5:1-12 NLT
This painting probably has the most layers and was continuing to require more layers into July of 2026, finishing 1 week before the summer exhibition of the study of the Holy Spirit. I started with morning colors and blues because of the psalmist seeking God in the morning. As the painting progressed, an eye of a bird emerged as well as shapes of wings. Before it was named Hovering Dove, a bird formed fighting back the darkness and protecting those who take refuge in God.
Psalm 36:7 says “How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.”
Anointing Oil
Psalm 56
“O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long. I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me. But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? They are always twisting what I say; they spend their days plotting to harm me. They come together to spy on me— watching my every step, eager to kill me. Don’t let them get away with their wickedness; in your anger, O God, bring them down. You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side! I praise God for what he has promised; yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? I will fulfill my vows to you, O God, and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help. For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light.”
Psalms 56:1-13 NLT
I started with the lights of the alcohol inks for God’s light, to be able to return to it from caves of darkness and fear. The light shines through as well as the songs so we can find our way back to Him. Green represents God’s mercy, growth and restoration. Purple is God’s royalty, and priestly mediation of anointing oil. We are chosen. We are anointed with His power to do His purposes. The blue are tears of lament and distress he collects in a bottle, and records each one in his book. Nothing goes unnoticed. The small flashes of fuchsia speak of flashes of a right relationship with God.
Empowered Witness
Psalm 22
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them. They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you and were never disgraced. But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all! Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, “Is this the one who relies on the Lord? Then let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him!” Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast. I was thrust into your arms at my birth. You have been my God from the moment I was born. Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me. My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls; fierce bulls of Bashan have hemmed me in! Like lions they open their jaws against me, roaring and tearing into their prey. My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing. O Lord, do not stay far away! You are my strength; come quickly to my aid! Save me from the sword; spare my precious life from these dogs. Snatch me from the lion’s jaws and from the horns of these wild oxen. I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people. Praise the Lord, all you who fear him! Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help. I will praise you in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you. The poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the Lord will praise him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him. For royal power belongs to the Lord. He rules all the nations. Let the rich of the earth feast and worship. Bow before him, all who are mortal, all whose lives will end as dust. Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything he has done.”
NLT
This psalm is the one associated with the prophecy of Jesus’ death. I started with blood colors mixing with the clay of earth and our mortality, along with the symbol of the cross. The lower quadrants represent the clay and earthly sorrows and Son of Man and the upper quadrants look to God and Son of God. The blues speak to Jesus saying he was our living water, poured out for us. The empty cross reminds us of the resurrection of Jesus and how he conquered death and was alive! Seeing him alive empowers his followers to spread the good news of life eternal with God!
Redemptive Suffering
Psalm 13
“O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die. Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!” Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall. But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me.”
Psalms 13:1-6 NLT
NLT
If I believe that God is sovereign over every aspect of my life, than it is possible for me to trust God in all situations. I needn’t waste time and energy regretting the way that things are or what might have been, but I can start where I am at the present moment, accepting things as they are and searching for the way through the circumstances. Only in that place can I be open to what God has for me. He promises to use all things even suffering for my good. The neurographic drawing starts where my emotions are at and smooths our the intersections to make curves which are more easily accepted. The burnt sienna represents pride which needs to be put down so that I can make my way to focusing on the unfailing love of God. No suffering will be wasted or unredeemed.
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28
Healing
Psalm 54
“Come with great power, O God, and rescue me! Defend me with your might. Listen to my prayer, O God. Pay attention to my plea. For strangers are attacking me; violent people are trying to kill me. They care nothing for God. Interlude But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive! May the evil plans of my enemies be turned against them. Do as you promised and put an end to them. I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you; I will praise your name, O Lord, for it is good. For you have rescued me from my troubles and helped me to triumph over my enemies.”
Psalms 54:1-7 NLT
NLT
“Supernatural, miraculous healing is all over the Bible. Healing is complicated because suffering is real and suffering hurts. Healing is most sought in the midst of suffering, so when we seek healing we are asking God to touch something that is probably already life-defining and make it life-redefining. Whether God brings healing or not, our stories of experiencing illness and seeking healing are sure to change us forever.” Pg. 137 Familiar Stranger by Tyler Patton
Green represents growth, restoration, flourishing and new beginnings. Yellow represents faith and anointing. Turquoise represents the river of God and healing. Sapphire represents the Holy Spirit. White represents surrender, victory, peace, and triumph. Brown represents pride. The neuographica drawing is my emotions as the neurons are smoothed into healing curves.
Prophecy
Psalm 27
“The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident. The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music. Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me! My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” Do not turn your back on me. Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me, O God of my salvation! Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close. Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me. Do not let me fall into their hands. For they accuse me of things I’ve never done; with every breath they threaten me with violence. Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”
Psalms 27:1-14 NLT
NLT
The image that kept coming to mind was meeting with God on a mountain, where he shrouds us in His Glory and covers us in clouds of protection. The chaos and enemies of the blues at the bottom cannot touch me when I am “living in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.” The mountain represents the fortress that being with the Lord is, as he protects me from danger. The name of the Holy Spirit of prophecy only means to speak an encouraging word from God. In His presence, he speaks with me, “meditating in his Temple, hiding me in his sanctuary.” Prophecy invites intimacy. “His sheep follow him because they know his voice.”[John 10:4] “But of course, for anyone who has ever tried to hear God, we know that our souls aren’t automatically attuned to His voice. Experientially, God mostly makes himself available but not obvious, so hearing his voice takes some practice=it takes the uncomfortable risking we call obedience.” pg.20 The Familiar Stranger by Tyler Patton.