The Valley of Baca

"Blessed is the man whose strength is in You.

Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
As they pass trough the Valley of Baca,
They make it a spring (or artisian well);
The rain also covers it with pools.
They go on from strength to strength;
Everyone of them appears before God in Zion."
Psalm 84:5-7

Recently intrigued by these central verses in Psalm 84, I found some rich insight

from the Treasury of David by C.M. Spurgeon, volume 4.

Valley of Baca: Valley of tear shrubs, valley of weeping / dejection. A sandy, dry, and barren expanse.


"Blessed is the man whose strength is in you, whose heart is set on pilgrimage."

When those whose hearts are set towards God go through a barren valley, they make it a well. In thinking forward upon the comfort of God, thier thoughts in the present become as a rain of blessings - a liberal rain upon the ground.

"They make it a spring / well"

No misery can be so great, no estate so barren but a God-focused heart can become a well out of which to draw forth water of comfort, water to cleanse (repentence), water to cool (patience), water to moisten, water to grow into grace.

"The rain also covers it with pools." (Literally can mean weeping but also blessings)


And if the well happens to be dry and affords no water from below, yet the rain shall fill their pools, and supply them with water from above. If natural forces are not sufficient, then God offers supernatural graces.

The most gloomy present becomes bright to them, passing through even a terrible wilderness, they turn it into a place of springs. Their joyous hope and the infinite beauty of the goal, which is worth any toil or trouble, offers them enlivening comfort, refreshing and strengthening in the midst of an arid steppe.

Not only does their faith bring forth water out of the sand and rocks, but God also on His part lovingly anticipates their love, and rewarding anticipates their faithfulness with a gentle rain. Like that rain that refreshes the fields in Autumn, descends from above and enwraps the Valley of Baca in a fullness of blessing... The arid steppe becomes resplendent with a flowery festive arment.


Not to the outward appearences, but spiritually to the travelers, ina manner non the less true and real.

"They go from strength to strength"

Normally the travelers strength diminishes in preportion to the distance traveled and the difficulty of the road. But for them it is reversed - they go on from strength to strength.

"Everyone of them appears before God in Zion"

No one perished along the way from attacks of wild beasts, wandering bandits, nor did any become discouraged and turn back.

So it shall be with true spiritual pilgrims. The grace of God will always prove sufficient to preserve them, safe and blameless, to His heavenly kingdom... troubles shall not overwhelm them... they are kept by the power of God.