I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.—Psalm 27:13–14 (NIV)
LOOK: The Waiting by Charlotte Mann Lee
Artist Charlotte Mann Lee is a friend of mine from Maryland. Her watercolor The Waiting, a self-portrait at Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado, is inspired by the final verse of Psalm 27 (quoted above). The Hebrew verb קָוָה (qavah), meaning “to wait for, or to look expectantly,” stretches across the scene, a breeze scattering its gold flecks to the sky. A majestic vista lies just over the sand.
“In the desert times of life, when the soul is dry and weary, the barren landscape seemingly endless before us, waiting is difficult,” Lee writes. “What we know to be true may be in conflict with our current experience. There is an ongoing tension between what we see and feel currently in our suffering, and what God promises in His Word.” It’s that tension she seeks to convey here, as well as “the hope that anchors [the Christian] amidst trials and struggles in the desert”: God in Christ.
Read more of Lee’s personal theological reflection on this painting on her website.
LISTEN: “Psalm 27” by Psalm Project Africa, on Sing Psalms, vol. 1 (2013)
Of this I’m sure
I’ll see God’s goodness
My soul will rest in
The land of the living
Be strong in the LordRefrain:
The Lord is my light
And my salvation
Whom shall I fear
Shall I be afraid
The Lord is my light
And my salvation
Whom shall I fear
Shall I be afraid
The Lord is my lifeOne thing I need
One thing I ask you
To dwell in your house
Each day of my life
Delighting in you [Refrain]In troubled times
He keeps me secure
He covers me
He lifts my head
Above the storm [Refrain]
A program of the Reformed Student Organisation in Kampala, Uganda, Psalm Project Africa was a collective of songwriters and musicians who led workshops at African churches and colleges, encouraging Christians to sing the Psalms in African styles. It appears they were active from 2013 to 2017, releasing three albums of psalm settings within that period.
Art & Theology 
I’ve been following along and reflecting with these posts everyday and I gasped when I saw this one. The Great Sand Dunes National Park is one of the strangest, most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. The inscription with “The Waiting” really sums up the sounds, feelings, and quiet of sitting on a sand dune, exhausted from the climb, and preparing to go back.
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