PSALMS SERIES: WEEK 10 - PSALM 84 - THE VALLEY OF BACA

Sometimes we find ourselves in situations that we don’t want to be in - situations we would never CHOOSE to be in. I remember in my 20’s, after a lifetime (albeit a SHORT lifetime) of wanting desperately to find someone to love and to be married to, I remember being hopelessly single. I’ve known couples who have tried and tried to conceive, desperately wanting a family, but to no avail. I know of people, even here in this congregation, who live in constant pain - literal pain - who would give ANYTHING to just live ONE DAY without the suffering.

My wife Jenny and I just made a whirlwind trip to Manteca, CA, for the funeral of a friend and great mentor. It was good to be there. I wanted to be there - but I DIDN’T want to be there, if you can understand that sentiment. It was a Valley of weeping - not a pleasant place to be.

Let’s be honest - there are times when Peace like a River does NOT attend our way; times when the path we are on is filled more with sea-billows crashing in around us.

Today’s Psalm, Psalm 84, I must confess I truly hadn't understood until my study this past week. I know it from a couple songs we sing based on it.  But I discovered that these words are spoken/sung by the psalmist not because he is where he longs to be - but because he's NOT there, and his heart is asking to be there. 

He's not in the courts of the Lord, he's not as close to God’s presence as he has been in the past.  He remembers how good it was, and he expresses a longing to be there once again.