Surrounded

Artist Statement

Psalm 125 This painting was inspired by Psalm 125:2: “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people both now and forevermore.” When I read this psalm, I found myself considering what surrounds me. Like the people of Israel, it is often easy to focus on hardships, fears, and uncertainties. Yet the psalm reminds us that those who trust in the Lord are not ultimately surrounded by trouble, but by God Himself. As I reflected on this passage, I kept returning to a photograph I took during a Christmas gathering with our community a couple years ago. It had been a difficult year for many of us, yet we gathered around a long table and shared two huge boards of food together. We ate and laughed together and shared the ways He had carried us through another year. The mountains surrounding the table represent the Lord’s presence encircling His people. The figures gathered together represent the gift of community—one of the primary ways I have experienced God’s care. Through our many years at Summit, the Lord has surrounded our family with faithful friends who have encouraged us, prayed for us, and continually pointed us back to Christ. As I painted, I also thought of Psalm 23:5: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” Throughout Scripture, tables are places of provision, fellowship, and remembrance. Jesus Himself often gathered around tables with friends, revealing the heart of God through shared meals and community. This piece is a reminder that while we may sometimes feel surrounded by the struggles of this world, the greater reality is that we are surrounded by the Lord—and often experience His presence through the people He places around our table.