The Meaning of Psalms 84:6 Explained

Psalms 84:6

KJV: Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.

YLT: Those passing through a valley of weeping, A fountain do make it, Blessings also cover the director.

Darby: Passing through the valley of Baca, they make it a well-spring; yea, the early rain covereth it with blessings.

ASV: Passing through the valley of Weeping they make it a place of springs; Yea, the early rain covereth it with blessings.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[Who] passing  through the valley  of Baca  make  it a well;  the rain  also filleth  the pools. 

What does Psalms 84:6 Mean?

Study Notes

Baca
Or, weeping. Not a literal valley, but any place of tears. Cf. Psalms 23:4 .

Context Summary

Psalm 84:1-12 - Longing For The House Of God
This is one of the sweetest of the Psalms. David probably composed it during his absence from Jerusalem at the time of Absalom's rebellion, though its final form may have been due to the sons of Korah. It is divided into three parts by the Selahs.
They who dwell in thy house, Psalms 84:1-4. The psalmist envies the winged things that rest in those hallowed precincts, and how much more the priests and Levites who serve there! Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but man can rest only in God.
Those in whose hearts are the ways of Zion, Psalms 84:5-8. We may not be able actually to walk along those ways, but it is good to tread them in living sympathy with the saints, and to unite ourselves to the pilgrim hosts. Those absent from God's house may in their heart join the great congregation. Thus dry and desolate valleys may become filled with water springs, making them green and beautiful. When the heart is right with God, the desert becomes a temple, and tears are exchanged for smiles.
The man who trusts in thee, Psalms 84:9-12. God is better than His sanctuary. He is a Sun in dark hours, and a Shadow in scorching ones. Grace is His unmerited pardon and blessing to sinners; glory the irradiation of His character, into the likeness of which we shall be changed. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 84

1  The prophet, longing for the communion of the sanctuary
4  Shows how blessed they are that dwell therein
8  He prays to be restored unto it

What do the individual words in Psalms 84:6 mean?

[As they] pass through the Valley of Baca a spring they make it also with pools covers it the rain
עֹבְרֵ֤י ׀ בְּעֵ֣מֶק הַ֭בָּכָא מַעְיָ֣ן יְשִׁית֑וּהוּ גַּם־ בְּ֝רָכ֗וֹת יַעְטֶ֥ה מוֹרֶֽה

עֹבְרֵ֤י ׀  [As  they]  pass 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
בְּעֵ֣מֶק  through  the  Valley 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֵמֶק  
Sense: valley, vale, lowland, open country.
הַ֭בָּכָא  of  Baca 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּכָא  
Sense: a valley in Palestine.
מַעְיָ֣ן  a  spring 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַעְיָן  
Sense: spring.
יְשִׁית֑וּהוּ  they  make  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, third person masculine singular
Root: שִׁית  
Sense: to put, set.
גַּם־  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
בְּ֝רָכ֗וֹת  with  pools 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: בְּרָכָה  
Sense: blessing.
יַעְטֶ֥ה  covers  it 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָטָה 
Sense: to cover, enwrap, wrap oneself, envelop oneself.
מוֹרֶֽה  the  rain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹורֶה 
Sense: (early) rain.