When Passing Through the Valley of Weeping

This sermon, preached on Sunday December 13, 2020, is based on Psalm 84:5-7. The pastor introduces the image of the Valley of Weeping — the place called Baca in the original text — as a symbol of hardship, trials, and loss that everyone must face: illness, job loss, loss of property, and the loss of loved ones. The congregation and many believers are currently passing through such valleys, with some moving from one trial directly into another.

The pastor emphasizes two key observations: first, not all valleys of weeping are the same in depth or severity; second, even when two people face the same circumstances, their reactions and attitudes can be completely different. Scripture does not promise that believers will be spared from suffering, but it confirms two special helps: the Holy Spirit as Comforter (John 14:16-18) and the Word of God with its precious promises that bring hope (Romans 15:4). It is through these two gifts that believers can choose their attitude and actions in the face of adversity.

The sermon develops three practical sections. The first calls believers, before entering a valley of weeping, to turn their hearts fully toward God and to regard their relationship with Him as something that can never be lost. The pastor uses the image of sparrows and swallows in Psalm 84:3 to illustrate that even small birds instinctively know that near God's altar is the safest place. The story of Corrie Ten Boom and her sister Betsie in a Nazi concentration camp reinforces the point that the only truly safe place is the center of God's will.

The second section focuses on how, while passing through the valley, believers need rain from God — His refreshing and sustaining grace. The pastor introduces nine psalms David wrote during the years he was hunted by King Saul, calling them songs in the midst of tribulation — precious gifts for those walking through hardship. Through these psalms, David does not hide his pain or tears but continues to trust in God, expressing confident faith even in the darkest circumstances.

The third section emphasizes that believers passing through the valley of weeping have a responsibility to leave blessings behind for those who come after — transforming the valley into a place of springs. Rather than becoming bitter, resentful, or giving up, believers are called to dig wells so God can fill them, to glorify Him in every circumstance, and to press forward with the sure promise that all will one day appear before God at Zion (Philippians 1:6).