We all need encouragement and never more than in these days of uncertainty. Our feet need to be firmly planted on the Rock of our Salvation. We should be in a position of unshakeable faith in our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Messiah Yeshua/Jesus, abiding in Him and keeping our eyes firmly fixed on Him and not on the issues and circumstances in the world around us.
Matthew 6:31-33
31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.…
Luke 12:6-7 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. / And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
We turn to familiar scriptures to comfort and strengthen our faith, scriptures that give us confidence our Heavenly Father knows what is happening and sees our situations as is not taken by surprise. He knows our future and sees our heart of trust depending on Him to protect us and lead us through our troubles. He ensures that the testing and trial of our faith is never above what we can handle. 1Cor. 10:13 No trial has overtaken you that is not distinctively human; and God is faithful; · he will not let you be tested beyond what you can bear, but with the trial will also provide the way through, so that you will be able to endure it.
Among the many promises in scripture there is one in
Psalm 139:5: “Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.”
This verse has been translated in a number of ways…
but what does the Hebrew say… literally?
Behind and before You take hold of me and You have laid upon me Your Hand.
Breaking down the Hebrew words in this verse gives us a wider understanding of the thoughts behind Davids statement:
achor: Back, behind, backward
Original Word: אָחוֹר Part of Speech: substantive Transliteration: achowr Pronunciation: a-khor Phonetic Spelling: (aw-khore’) KJV: after(-ward), back (part, -side, -ward), hereafter, (be-)hind(-er part), time to come, without NASB: back, backward, rear, afterward, away, backs, behind Word Origin: [from H299 (אֲחִירַע – Ahira)] afterward, back part hereafter, hinder part, time to come, without (hence, adverbly) behind, backward (also, as facing north) the West
אָחוֹר (’achor) occurs about forty-one times, functioning adverbially (“back, backward, behind”) and as a noun (“rear, hinder part”). Scripture uses it both literally—describing spatial orientation—and metaphorically—expressing retreat, apostasy, concealment, shame, and divine protection.
Assurance of victory: Prayer trusts God to make spiritual adversaries retreat
ṣar·tā·nî
Psalm 139:5 HEB: אָח֣וֹר וָקֶ֣דֶם צַרְתָּ֑נִי וַתָּ֖שֶׁת עָלַ֣י NAS: You have enclosed me behind KJV: Thou hast beset me behind and before, INT: behind and before have enclosed and laid and
6924 qedem: East, ancient times, antiquity, front, before
Original Word: קֶדֶם Part of Speech: noun masculine; adverb; noun Transliteration: qedem Pronunciation: keh’-dem Phonetic Spelling: (keh’-dem) KJV: aforetime, ancient (time), before, east (end, part, side, -ward), eternal, X ever(-lasting), forward, old, past Word Origin: [from H6923 (קָדַם – meet)]
the front, of place (absolutely, the fore part, relatively the East) or time (antiquity)
2. often used adverbially (before, anciently, eastward)
The Strongs word 6696 in Hebrew for beset is
tsur or tsuwr:
To bind, besiege, confine, cramp
Original Word: צוּר Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: tsuwr Pronunciation: tsoor Phonetic Spelling: (tsoor)
The verb צוּר (Strong’s 6696) portrays the purposeful act of hemming in—whether by an enemy army, by difficult circumstances, or by the Lord Himself. Its roughly thirty-six occurrences fall largely into military narratives, covenant warnings, wisdom reflections, and prophetic oracles. The word’s range moves from hostile siege to benevolent encirclement, revealing the Lord’s sovereign control of both judgment and protection. Strong’s Hebrew 6696 presents siege not merely as an ancient military tactic but as a theological instrument revealing the Lord’s righteous judgment, protective care, and redemptive purpose. Whether depicting armies at city walls or God’s hand surrounding His own, the verb summons every generation to covenant faithfulness and confident trust in the One who alone controls the boundaries of distress and deliverance.
KJV: adversary, assault, beset, besiege, bind (up), cast, distress, fashion, fortify, inclose, lay siege, put up in bags
Indicating Sovereign control: God employs siege to discipline or to shelter, demonstrating mastery over human warfare. 2. Covenant accountability: Siege fulfills covenant blessings or curses, linking military events to spiritual realities. 3. Protective encirclement: For the faithful, being ‘hemmed in’ signifies safety within God’s providence. 4. Eschatological preview: The transition from judgment to protection anticipates the consummate security of God’s people in the Messianic age.
When believers feel confined by trials, Psalm 139:5 invites them to interpret the hemming in as God’s purposeful care rather than mere limitation. • Intercession for Nations: Biblical sieges warn modern societies that persistent rebellion invites divine discipline; prayer should therefore combine repentance with appeal for mercy. • Spiritual Warfare: Christians may build “siege works” of prayer and Scripture against strongholds of sin (cf. 2 Corinthians 10:4), appropriating the constructive use of the verb. • Hope in Christ: Just as Zechariah foresaw God’s encampment around His house, believers rest in the risen Christ who “will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5), the ultimate assurance that no hostile encirclement can prevail.
Fortified – tsur צ ור is also used for a fortress or fortified city.
As noted, the word for behind is ‘achor which has the idea of behind or past, and the word qedem means to go forward. That word ends in Hebrew with a closed letter mem, which indicates the hidden or unknown, as is the future which is yet to unfold. The words “‘achor vaqedem” expresses both the things that are behind us in the past and whatever is ahead of us in our future. This is very encouraging as it confirms to us that our Heavenly Father tsur /besets us/ encloses us, in a protective way both in our past and future.
The word tsur is used as a verb in this verse and is in a qal perfect form. Qal Perfect 2 masculine singular – shut up, enclose: And can be expressed as
you have entrenched me or fortified me.
Or simply:
In my past and in my future you have already fortified or entrenched me.
In Davids situation there was unrest in the nation and the future was not too bright; there were threats from the Assyrians and to his own throne when his son revolted and David had to flee from his kingdom with a price on his head. David daily faced the ever increasing pressures of being a king, but when he woke up in the morning not knowing what would happen, he was reminded that our Heavenly Father had fortified him, entrenched him and as noted, another expression for sur is hedged him. That hedge or fortress was around him in his past and it was around him in the present and would continue to be around him in the future.
David then says: You laid your hand upon me. Here the word laid /tasheth is actually in a future tense and means to place or set.
7896 shith: To put, place, set, appoint, make
Original Word: שִׁית Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: shiyth Pronunciation: sheeth Phonetic Spelling: (sheeth) KJV: apply, appoint, array, bring, consider, lay (up), let alone, X look, make, mark, put (on), + regard, set, shew, be stayed, X take NASB: set, make, put, laid, made, lay, demanded Word Origin: [a primitive root]
Original Word: כַּף Part of Speech: Noun Feminine Transliteration: kaph Pronunciation: kaf Phonetic Spelling: (kaf) KJV: branch, + foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon NASB: hands, hand, pan, sole, pans, palm, soles Word Origin: [from H3721 (כָּפַף – bowed down)]
1. the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree) 2. (figuratively) power
The verse literally says:
You have set me in the palm of your hand.
or
We are sheltered in the hollow of His hand.
Recall from previous posts that back in those days, they believed a persons heart was in the palm of the hand; so with this in mind, David was saying that he will not fear or live in dread of the future, because he is sheltered in the heart of his Heavenly Father.
Peoples fears of the future are increasing with negative news reports fueling those anxieties, and we could spend all day worrying and fretting over the uncertainty of what may or may not happen; or we can be like David who said: My past, present, and future is hemmed in, enclosed, entrenched, sheltered in You. If any disaster happens, You will tsur – fortify me. I will be sheltered in the hollow of Your hand or I will be resting in Your heart whatever comes, You already know and see all my past present and future.
Don’t look at the world and all the problems and allow fear to rise in your mind, look to Jesus/Yeshua, the author and finisher of our faith.
Our Heavenly Father knows and sees…
and will never leave us nor forsake us. Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face and the things of the world will grow strangely dim in the light of His Glory and Grace; and let the true shalom, the peace that passes all understanding fill our hearts and minds and dwell in us richly.
Shalom, shalom mishpachah/family
and cheverim/friends!
It’s all about Life and Relationship,
NOT Religion.
You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.
NOT SURE?
YOU CAN BE..
SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.
