84th Psalm

So,  recently I've been memorizing the 84th Psalm. Today, I even did some research on it on Blue Letter Bible. There were a few specific things that I was trying to figure out. Verse 5 pronounces a blessing on (according to the NIV) "Those whose hearts are set on pilgrimage." As I looked into the Hebrew, it seems to be something more literally like "those whose hearts are the highways." Though a lot of translations translate this into something about a pilgrimage or highways to Zion. I hope they have a good reason to do that, other than that Hebrew is vague.

Anyways, this verse has been a comfort to me, specifically because I've been on the highways, on the pilgrimage so much, lately. I'm on a pilgrimage, a highway to the Heavenly Zion, and I have a long road ahead. But blessed I am for taking it. "They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion." (verse 7). I suppose that's where the idea of "hearts are the highways" being a pilgrimage comes from. That each will appear before God in Zion. Oh, under the new covenant, what joy this is. As believers, our hearts are set on this pilgrimage to the heavenly Zion, and we WILL go from stength to strength and appear before Him there. My sterength is in You, oh Lord.

Anyways, the "valley of Baca" in verse 6 was also a mystery. Actually, I looked it up in my Japanese Bible for some reason, and it was the valley of 涙, or tears. And sure enough, Baca is Hebrew for weeping. So as I pass through the valley of weeping (I'm still not sure if this is an actual place in Israel), I will "make it a place of springs. The autumn rains also cover it with blessings." That "blessings" is another tricky one that is often translated "pools," but as near as I can tell, that Hebrew word usually means blessings.

And "sheild" in verse 9 seems to often refer to authority or power in the Bible. Interesting, vague Hebrew. Ah well. Good psalm. Read it for yourself.

By the way, speaking of springs of blessing, check it out: another attempt at playing Broken Mirror: