Pilgrims of Hope: 3 Reminders of Renewal in Psalm 84

A friend’s text displayed brightly on my phone, delivering timely encouragement: “When your soul feels weary, it’s often not because you’re weak, but because you’ve been strong for too long without renewal.”

Often, we assume the path to success includes constant progress and performance to yield a meaningful life. Yet often we neglect what is truly necessary to maintain a sustainable life. What is renewal, and how can we obtain it at the soul level? With Psalm 84 as our guide, let’s walk through three practices that offer weary travelers the hope of renewal.

“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).

Rely on God’s Strength

So often, we walk in public strength. With hair done, exercise accomplished, work organized, and meals prepared, we can trick ourselves into feeling on top of things. But what about private strength? Inner strength is that which results from full alignment of our heart and mind with the sustaining love of the Heavenly Father.

This inner strength results from walking in his wisdom over my own, knowing that his love cannot be earned or bought, manipulated or persuaded, but can only be received. When God commands me in Isaiah to “Be still and know that I am God”, it contradicts every earthly reflex. When scripture reminds me to cease striving because my God is fighting for me, it rubs up against my fleshly nature. “Come to me and find rest”, God says, as a father ushering his child to safety and sleep amid ceaseless burdens.

So, what if we believe what God says? A beatitude of sorts, Psalm 84 reminds us right away that relying on God’s strength leads to blessing, while relying on our own strength leads to burnout. Relying on God’s strength implies we are living according to God’s wisdom and trusting in His design. Just as we can’t fully control how our bones heal or skin renews, we discover renewed strength as we wholly depend on Him for all things.

Acknowledge God’s Provision

The scenery of Psalm 84 shifts to journeying through the Valley of Baca, which represents places of mourning and seasons of suffering. I appreciate that scripture distinguishes between the phrases “as they go” and “if they go” through these low seasons of life. Our pilgrimage toward eternity most assuredly includes trials, weeping, mourning, and lamenting. Jesus promised that we would be asked to carry our cross on our way to glory; yet, even in the valley, let’s not miss the promise. God promises that even in the valley, there are pools of provision. What comfort!

God sends early rains that form pools of refreshment and replenishment along the way. Before we know what we need, Matthew 6:8 reminds us that God already knows and is working to provide for us as we journey through this life.

Seek God’s Presence

Lastly, in Psalm 84:7, we see that on this journey to meet with God, we are invited to travel from strength to strength. But let’s not forget on this arduous journey that the end destination is not an easier life or a simpler path, but the manifest presence of God.

Historically, there were three annual festivals in Israel known as pilgrimage festivals, as worshipers were required to travel to Jerusalem to worship Yahweh at the temple. The Psalmist reminds us here that Yahweh will provide for us at every step as we seek Him.

His presence is available to us and provides constant renewal along this difficult pilgrimage of life. For us to truly be renewed at the soul level, we are invited to seek God’s presence, ask His Spirit to strengthen us, and to rest in His provision along the way.

As we do, the prophet Isaiah reminds us that God will renew our strength so that we can soar on wings as eagles, walk and not grow faint. God promises that though we grow tired, He never will. With God as our guide, our provider, and our ultimate destination, we can travel from strength to strength with renewed endurance, becoming pilgrims of hope.