Strength in the Valley of Tears
Psalm 84 is a beautiful Psalm, one that I had the privilege of preaching recently to our New Hope family. There is a famous line in this song that says,
For a day in your courts is better
Psalm 84:10 (ESV)
than a thousand elsewhere.
But why is this true? According to the Psalmist, one reason is that the Lord strengthens us in our weakness. Check this out:
Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.
Psalm 84:5-7 (ESV)
As Jews made their pilgrimage to Jerusalem to worship, they often faced a difficult journey. The Psalmist mentions a place called the Valley of Baca. Scholars aren’t sure of its precise location, but its literal translation from Hebrew means “Valley of Tears.” This name indicates a place of deep sorrow and struggle, a dry and desolate valley that weary travelers would pass through on their way to worship in the temple courts.
We all have faced our own versions of the Valley of Baca. These dry deserts in our lives seem to draw out the most weeping. When we travel through these valleys, we might rest only to cry ourselves to sleep, feeling hopeless and far from God’s presence, parched for relief and seeking understanding. Yet, it is in these valleys of weakness and weeping that God supplies his strength. It is in these moments that our hearts cling to God the most. The passage above states that those who put their strength in God have “highways to Zion” in their hearts.
You may be in your own Valley of Weeping, but God has put in your heart a highway to Zion, a road leading to his presence. As you draw from his strength and long for the day when you will rest in his courts, remember that even in the Valley of Baca, God is with you.
The Psalmist continues in verse 6: “As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.” In this verse, the Valley of Tears has become a place of spiritual transformation. Because you have traveled through the Valley of Baca, you have witnessed that God can turn your tears into springs. He sends rain upon the dry valley to increase its waters, transforming it into a place of blessing.
Many have found transformation and blessing in the Valley of Baca. This testament to God’s faithfulness leads us to long for his courts. Psalm 84:8-9 says,
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!
Psalm 84:8-9 (ESV)
He is the God who hears our prayers. Better yet, he “gives ear.” He leans in close to listen. He is the God of Jacob, the God of the covenant, and the God who keeps his promises to his children. He looks upon our faces, and he sees our tears from being in the Valley of Baca. He is as faithful as the sun and as safe as a shield. He can turn your tears into springs, and he longs to meet with you in his courts.
As we go from strength to strength, appearing before God in Zion, let us remember that even in the hardest valleys, God is with those who belong to Christ Jesus. He turns our weeping into springs of life and covers our dry places with his refreshing rain. In his courts, we find the strength to continue our journey, knowing that one day with him is better than a thousand elsewhere. And one day, when we stand in the fullness of his presence in glory, Jesus Christ himself will wipe away every tear from our eyes (Revelation 21:4). Oh, what a hope we have! Oh, what a God!
Bee-Attitude
Blessed are those who travel through the Valley of Baca, for God can turn your tears into springs as you continue your journey along the highways to his presence.
Author Profile
Grant Turner is the editor of the Barnesville Buzz and an educator, coach, and writer based in Barnesville, Georgia. He shares stories that bridge community, faith, and personal growth. In addition to teaching and coaching, Grant is Director of Musical Worship and a Sunday School teacher at New Hope Baptist Church in Zebulon, Georgia. He lives in Barnesville with his wife, Haley.
