Songs of Zion

Psalm 84

Context
Psalm 84 is one of the "Songs of Zion" - songs that legitimate Jerusalem, home of Mount Zion, site of the Temple, as THE place to worship God. They perhaps functioned as pilgrimage songs for the ancient Hebrews as they traveled to Jerusalem to worship.
The "valley of Baca" was, perhaps, a dry valley on one of the pilgrimage routes. "Baca" means "weeping", so it can also mean figuratively a time of tears and sorrow.

Listening to the writer
There are many types of Psalms, but it seems that this one is meant to be sung in community. Communal songs - especially national and religious songs, and in ancient Israel the two are synonymous - are intended to reinforce common ideas in the community. What ideas does the author want to reinforce regarding the Temple? God? Prayer? Our relationship to God?

Listening to God
Re-read the Psalm and pick a petition that piques your interest - intellectual or emotional. Try meditating on a verse for at least five minutes, sitting quietly and just repeating the verse over and over, in your head or out loud.
After sitting with the verse, ask yourself: what is God telling me? Is God agreeing with the Psalmist, disagreeing, or going off on a tangent? Is God reinforcing or challenging my ideas?

Miscellaneous Meanderings
The "Pine River Friends" is a group of Friends (Quakers) who have worshipped at the Wesley Center on Sunday mornings for 30 years. This past Sunday was their last at Wesley - they are moving to a new location next week.
Why? We're starting RETHINK, our new Sunday morning worship service, and there's simply not room for both services. RETHINK will often be loud, whereas the Friends often worship in silence. RETHINK will sometimes need the space where the Friends currently meet. Our styles just won't fit together.
The Friends have found this difficult - they, of all denominations, are perhaps least attached to buildings, but after 30 years of worship in the same room it becomes a home. They are used to meeting God at Wesley. They have been happy singing God's praise there. It's unlikely that they'll have a fireplace in their new setting!
Although I'm excited about RETHINK, I feel for the Friends who are being moved for our sake. Lift up a prayer that they will grow as they meet God in a new place.

Dig Deeper at Textweek.