I am "hemmed in"

Psalm 139:5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.

My first thought about being hemmed in is a negative one but in this verse the sense is more of protection and assurance for me.  As I have thought about this concept of being hemmed in on all sides (“behind and before”), several things come to mind:

1. "YOU hem me in" speaks of God and His powerful and security-enhancing presence.
2. Friends (Godly men and women) that I have can be a wall of protection as well.  “They [David’s men] were a wall around us all the time we were herding our sheep near them.” (I Samuel 25:16)
3. “[God’s] unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him.” (Psalm 32:10)
4. “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him…” (Psalm 34:7)
5. “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people…” (Psalm 125:2)
6. We are “surrounded by … a great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1)

In other words, being hemmed in on all sides is a very good thing!