Overcoming 2: Life Lessons From the PsalmsSample

Pilgrimage or Pillage?

Psalm 84:5–7 (NIV84): “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, till each appears before God in Zion.”

The people of Psalm 84 were on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Many of these people traveled great distances to participate in an annual religious festival or ceremony. These events were paramount to their relationship with God. They saw their pilgrimage to attend these events as an act of obedience for their journey with the Lord. For most of those making the journey, it would be an exceedingly difficult and dangerous pilgrimage. The walk would be dry and dusty. Danger would lurk in the hills and plains. Animals and thieves were present. Acts of evil against them and accidents were probable. Suffering and weeping would not have been uncommon for those who committed to the arduous pilgrimage. The specific location of the Valley of Baca, as mentioned in verse six, is uncertain to today’s archeologists. Many historians believe it to have been close to Jerusalem. The Hebrew word “Baca” refers to the Balsam Tree in Lebanon. It oozes sap-like tears. As the people were nearing the end of their journey before they would arrive in Jerusalem, they entered this valley having shed several tears. Once they entered Jerusalem, the religious festival would begin. They would soon experience the wonder and beauty of the ceremonies. As they reflected on the whole experience, they would speak more of the festival with joy than the pillage of the pilgrimage. When they did speak of the pilgrimage, they spoke of how it strengthened them.

How would you describe your journey over the last few years? Have you experienced tear-jerking moments of hardships along the way? Has your personal journey been a Psalm 84 pilgrimage that has strengthened your faith, or has the journey pillaged your soul?

While on this planet, every human being will travel through tough times. The heartache of those moments can originate from an evil act against us, from a poor decision on our part, from a poor decision by someone we love, or from the simple reality that accidents happen. The Valley of Baca is a reference to such times. We, like the Balsam Tree, can ooze tears from our eyes and our soul as we enter our Valley of Baca. Unfortunately, our tears may not be the only thing we ooze. In those days, we might also leak vision, passion, focus, strength, hope, stamina, energy, and commitment.

The people of Psalm 84 knew they needed the strength of the Lord to accomplish the task in front of them. The amazing aspect of their experience was the degree to which the strength of the Lord supported them. As they walked in obedience to the call of God on their lives and sought Him in the walk, they experienced His strength to do so.

The Lord’s strength…

(1) kept them from giving up due to the hardships and remaining stuck in the valley. (Verse six, “As they pass through...”)

(2) helped them thrive and not just survive the hardships. (Verse six, “...make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.)”

(3) helped them get stronger and stronger in the journey. (Verse seven, “They go from strength to strength...”).

This is a story of faith and devotion. It is a story that illustrates the richness of the strength of the Lord in the life of a devoted follower of God. Each step these people took in their pilgrimage, they did so in faith. As they looked to the Lord to strengthen them, he responded to them in the hardships. Not only did their faith thrive in the journey, but their faith became their reality. The Lord who can strengthen was the Lord who did strengthen. Consequently, they went from strength to strength -- so much so that it was recorded for all to read and to be encouraged to employ.

Friends, this biblical principle is not humanly reasonable. It defies human logic. This principle is divine and comes from heavenly places. The strength of the Lord is available to all who set their hearts on doing His will and depend on Him in the journey. While the journey may be challenging, we can know an internal strength that defies human explanation. The presence of God’s strength in His children determines if the journey will be a pilgrimage for them. The lack of His strength would likely lead be a pillage of them. His strength determines if we stop short of His will for our lives or if we march triumphantly through the challenges. While the enemy loves to attack in moments of hardship, the Lord loves to affirm His presence and deposit His strength into His children in the hardships.

Let us discover during our pilgrimage the springs and rains of the Holy Spirit (verse six). It is only in His presence that we can be filled with hope and strength. Let us set our hearts on the truth of God’s word that He is faithful and will always be ever-present with us. When we enter our personal Valley of Baca, let those who watch us marvel at the strength of the Lord within us. Let them be inspired to seek and know the One who is strengthening us. Let every journey be a pilgrimage of strength, not a debilitating pillage. May we progress from strength to strength as we journey with the Lord.