Don’t you love it when a scripture suddenly jumps off the page and speaks to you in a powerful way you’ve never felt, even though you’ve read it dozens of times before?
That happened to me this week while I was studying Psalm 139, the wonderful psalm of David that is chockful of multiple assurances of Papa God’s omnipotence, sovereignty, and personal presence in our lives. I’ve looked to this particular psalm my whole life when I desperately needed to be reminded of my worth and security in the arms of my heavenly Father. In life. Even in death. The poetic words of the shepherd king soothe like honey to my chafed spirit. For example, verses 8-10 (NLT): “If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.”
Ah yes, you cherish that warmly familiar passage too, don’t you?
And then this week when I opened my heart and mind to the Holy Spirits guidance as I slowly made my way through chapter 139, the three amazing promises of blessing in verse 5 seemed to glow in neon lights:
“You both precede and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.”
Whoa. What do you picture when you read those two powerful sentences? Read them again and consider what image forms in your mind. 
I envision angels, the servant/messengers of the Almighty, surrounding me, walking snugly in front of and behind me wherever I go, adjusting their gait in perfectly synchronized step with me as I slow down or speed up; supporting me when I stumble, gently guiding me in the direction I should go.
And blessings encompass me from the hand of Papa God Himself that rests on my very head. My stubborn, pig-headed, undeserving head.
Praise Him, I can’t possibly be any more loved and protected than that.
As I continue breaking down the image in my mind and considering what exactly it means for me in the course of my everyday, these are the assurances that each of these three amazing promises in Psalm 139:5 brings me (and you!):
Promise #1: He precedes (walks ahead of) me:
- Leads me/blazes my trail
- Clears the path before me
- Intercepts danger; makes me feel secure
- Prepares/warns me of difficulties
Promise #2: He follows (walks closely behind) me:
- Guards my back
- Looks when and where I can’t
- Cleans up after me (Bless my mess!)
- Picks me up when I trip and fall
Promise #3: His hand of Blessing is on my head:
- Provides comfort when I’m troubled
- Protects me, even when I’m not aware of it
- Blesses me beyond measure with His undivided attention to my unique needs
- Allows me to feel His constant presence … if I tune in
What a trifecta of incredible promises! They’re all you and I need to know. If we knew nothing else about Papa God’s love for each of us, this one explosive verse is enough. Dearest BFF (Blessed Friend Forever), I hope you carve a little time out of your busy day to marinate on how blessed you truly are (add your own impressions from the Holy Spirit to the list and please share with us below!). And don’t forget to thank Him for keeping His promises. Hugs, my friend!