Springs in the Valley

Psalm 84: A Reflection

May 16, 2025

I recently reflected on Psalm 84. The Christian Standard Bible uses the word happy —

Happy are the people whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage (v. 5).

In contrast, the New American Standard Bible uses the word blessed —

Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion!

I was particularly struck by verse 6—those who "pass through the Valley of Baca," which is often translated the valley of weeping. Upon reading, most of us would not associate this with a place of rest, well-being, or flourishing, and certainly not a place we would choose to be! Yet such individuals are on a pilgrimage, seeking the dwelling place of the Lord.

One commentator writes,

It is not known whether the Valley of Baca in Psalm 84 was a literal place or a symbolic expression for grief or difficulty in life. For those who seek to follow in the Lord's steps, the psalmist said, that valley becomes a pool of blessing and refreshment.^[1]

The pilgrim traveling through the valley of weeping suffers and keeps going with their hearts set on the" highways to Zion," the place God dwells and our greatest source of comfort. With steadfast hearts, they transform the difficult into a spring, experiencing the realities of God, our ever-present help who is with us in all circumstances. Even in life's most difficult seasons, for those who seek after the Lord, He transforms hardship into sources of refreshment and joy, even in the most desolate of places.

Hope in the Valley: Psalm 23

I couldn't help but think of Psalm 23:

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (v. 4, NASB1995)

A living image I've carried these past few years is that of walking through a dark, wooded valley—gloomy, terrifying at times, and undoubtedly lonely. Yet even in the midst of that experience, there are glimpses of light, moments when the warmth of the sun breaks through the heavy timber and touches my face. I'm moving through the valley to the other side, where the sky opens up, the sun's warmth covers me, and the blue sky welcomes me home. The imagery in Psalm 84 is similar—we walk through the valley, but we are heading toward Zion, toward the very presence of God Himself. What a beautiful, hope-filled image.

Life in the Emptiest of Places: Isaiah 58

I'm also reminded of Isaiah 58. The Israelites had called upon God, but when He failed to respond, the people complained:

Why do we fast and You don't look our way? Why do we humble ourselves and You don't even notice? (v. 3, The Message).

God answered them, challenging them to live in a manner of loving God and neighbor, not merely outward religious observance. In reorienting their lives, He said:

What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The God of glory will secure your passage. Then when you pray, God will answer. You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.'
I will always show you where to go. I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—firm muscles, strong bones. You'll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry. You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past. You'll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again. (bold print mine)^[2]

Barrenness does not exist with the Lord, for He is the embodiment of light and life. Where He dwells, there is shalom in its fullest sense—so full, in fact, that even desert places burst forth with springs of living water. What once seemed like a lonely wilderness and a season of great trial becomes a place of life, joy, hope, and salvation.

Jesus’ Refuge in the Wilderness

Jesus also lived with this understanding. For Him, the wilderness was not a place to avoid, but a refuge—a place where He wrestled with His humanity and faced the temptations of Satan. After 40 days and 40 nights, He proved faithful to the Father, and the Father proved faithful to Him. The angels came and ministered to Him there. It was a place of rich, intimate encounter with the Father and the Spirit—so much so that Jesus would often return to the wilderness again and again throughout His ministry. There, He would seek the Father to know His heart and rest in His presence. For Jesus, the wilderness was not barren but a place of abundance in the seemingly empty places.

Building Joy in the Valley

Consistent with this line of thinking, Jim Wilder explains in The Other Half of Church that we can build relational joy—the sense that God and His people are glad to be with us—even in hardship. This joy doesn’t erase grief, but it gives us the capacity to keep moving through places like the Valley of Baca.

I have found this to be true. Even in my own valleys, the presence of God—and the faithful presence of others—has kept me moving when grief or weariness could have overcome me. This resilient fullness is God's gift to those who stay attached to Him and one another.

Suffering, Struggle, and Springs of Hope

Each of us has our own lived reality of the Valley of Baca. Shelly and I are navigating incredibly difficult waters with one of our children. Parenting is hard, especially in the teenage years. Yet, thanks be to God, who births embers of hope even in the darkest valleys. By His grace, we hold on to hope that the Lord can do the miraculous—bringing healing, wholeness, and restoration. He works miracles not only for His own glory, but also for the good of His children. I pray that this becomes the lived reality for all my children.

And then I think of others as they, too, journey through the valley of weeping:

- A friend who was nearing retirement, excited for the things he would be able to do with his wife, only to learn that within months of this monumental season, he was diagnosed with a terrible, life-threatening cancer. I can only imagine his Valley of Baca feels incredibly dark, gloomy, and hopeless.
- Another friend is navigating a serious health concern, placing a heavy burden of worry for the well-being of the family and angst for the unknown future.
- Friends who live and work in Central Asia. Life is incredibly difficult and oppressive, with constant threats all around them for not only their lives, but also the lives of those they have come to love.

The Empire and the Coming Kingdom

Unfortunately, we live in a world often referred to as the empire—a world where Satan has been given temporary dominion. As the father of lies, his sole intent is to kill, steal, and destroy. Without question, his presence is both seen and felt in every direction we look.

But it is only temporary.

These struggles, as real as they may be, are but a foreshadowing, revealing the deep longing of our souls to find hope in Christ. Satan rules nothing except what he has been permitted, for God alone reigns and rules over all creation.

His Kingdom is coming, unfolding even now, even in the Valleys of Baca. Where the world sees dryness, desolation, and decay, the Lord is planting springs of life. Where others see ruin, He is restoring beauty, renewing souls, and mending what was broken. Such reality gives us incredible hope, whether we walk in seasons of fullness and glory or through the shadows of suffering and grief.

As Psalm 84:10-12 declares,

Better a day in Your courts than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather be at the door of the house of my God than to live in the tents of wicked people. For the Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord gives grace and glory; He does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity. Happy is the person who trusts in You, Lord of Hosts!

As His children, we live with the steadfast assurance of His ongoing good work:
the coming of His Kingdom, the unfolding of His glory, and the fullness of life in His presence.

Thanks be to God.

^[1] Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Baca, Valley Of. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 1, p. 250). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

^[2] Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: the Bible in contemporary language (Is 58:6-9, 11–12). Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.