Hemmed in

You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain. (Ps. 139:5-6)

You barricade me It is unclear what connotation the psalmist intends when using the Hebrew word tsur here; it can mean “to bind,” “encircle,” or “lay siege to.” In Ps 139:6, the psalmist indicates that he accepts close scrutiny from God, but that he does not understand it. (Faithlife Study Bible notes)

I am encircled. The Lord has squeezed me in and knows me at the molecular level. This is both frightening and comforting all at once. The frightening part is the examination. He knows me. My thoughts. My struggles. This is the place where it is easy to hesitate if we don’t know the comfort of his presence.

Yes… he examines. Yes… we have some nasty stuff he is going to see. The beauty is this: he looks in because he cares not because he condemns.

And that is the comfort. He knows me. He molds me constantly into his image. He leads me to hope and abundance and faith.

Also, when he has me squeezed in, there is less room for the enemy. My soul hears him more clearly. My life is more protected. I am left in awe.

OH! How he loves us!