You hem me in, behind and before, and lay Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
~ Psalm 139:5-6
Hemmed in. When I was little, I took sewing classes and learned how to hem clothing so they were the right length for my small stature. To make the hem you turn the material over and create a space that is bordered on every side. When something is hemmed in it is restricted by this border. Or you could say, protected. Historically, the hem of a garment was considered reflective of the value of the person, a symbol of the person, representing their respect. In the Bible, the hem or tassel of a garment among other things was to serve as a reminder for the people of God’s commandments and to be holy. In ancient Babylon, a father sewed the bride price into the hem of his daughter’s clothing representing the marriage agreement.
There are so many thoughts this stirs in me.
As believers, we are called the Bride of Christ. We are hemmed into our marriage by the “bride price” Jesus paid when He died on the cross for our salvation. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:28 NIV)
I’m also reminded of the story of the woman with the issue of blood. She knew if she could just touch the hem of Jesus’s garment she would be healed. And she was healed because she understood who Jesus was. He knew power had been drawn from Him. When He turned a saw her He said, “Take courage; your faith has made you well.” (Matthew 9:22)
I also see being hemmed in as protective. Like Psalm 3:3 says, “But You, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high (NIV). If you read Psalm 3 you can see that David was looking to God as his protector, since his son Absalom, was looking to kill him. And though we may not find ourselves (thankfully) in the same situation as David, still there are things we need divine protection from. Fear that tries to dog us, grief that becomes consuming, anxiety for what may lie ahead. But despite living in a world where these challenges can seem like a constant battle, still God is our shield. He hems us before and behind. He is the gentle hand upon us that guides us and is ever with us as we sojourn through each day. We are hemmed into His garment, a constant reminder. And again I find myself circling back to the fact that He is ever mindful of me. He is ever mindful of you.
If there is anything I can offer you in these meager offerings that I write, I pray it leads you to look to God. To get to know Him for who He truly is. To learn to an even greater degree His desire to love you, to walk with you each day, to have a relationship… an intimate relationship with you.
His desire is to save, to heal. After all, Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). That means you… that means me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it (Psalm 139:6). In other words, it blows my mind.
Take a moment to consider what it means to you to be hemmed in by God. How does that thought bring comfort?
