June 23

Blessed are those whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; even the autumn rain covers it with pools. — Ps 84:5-6 BSB

"Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
until each appears before God in Zion."
(Psalm 84:5-7)

David gives us a glimpse of pilgrims on their upward journey to worship God in Zion. He observes their path and takes the opportunity to spiritualize it, saying, “In whose heart are the ways” of those pilgrims Zionward. What are these “ways”? It is that “passing through the valley of Baca, they make it a well.” This Valley of Baca seems to have been a perilous pass through which pilgrims journeyed toward Jerusalem. Because of the dangers and sufferings they encountered, it was called the “Valley of Weeping” or “Valley of Tears.”

But the psalmist declares, “Blessed is the man in whose heart are the ways of them, who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well.” This reveals the distinctive character of the true pilgrim. It’s not just that they journey through the Valley of Tears, with hearts filled with sorrow and eyes weeping, nor simply that their souls are burdened by temptations and sufferings. The key is that they “make it a well.” This is something the ungodly cannot understand, and even many in the professing world are unfamiliar with. It’s a secret only known to the true people of God.

In the Valley of Baca, the sun blazed overhead and the ground was dry beneath their feet, making the valley arid and desolate. Yet, in this difficult place, the pilgrims found or made wells. These wells provided refreshment for their weary bodies and souls. Spiritually, David uses this image to illustrate how, even in the driest and most challenging parts of our spiritual journey, God provides moments of divine consolation and refreshment. There are times when God causes living waters to spring up in our hearts, renewing our strength as we journey toward Zion.

Just as pilgrims in the physical desert rejoiced at the sight of a well, so do spiritual pilgrims rejoice in those moments of heavenly grace. Only those who have walked the path of affliction can truly appreciate the sweetness of these divine refreshments, which sustain them through the trials and tears of this life.