But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;
Let those also who love Your name
Be joyful in You.
For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield.
Psalms 5:11-12

If all God told me for the rest of my life was that He was my Shield, I would be okay. If all I heard was that I could trust in Him, and take joy in Him, I would be okay. Or if all I heard was that He would defend me, I would be okay.  But He doesn’t just tell us one or two of these things, He promises all that, AND on top of it all, He adds favor and love.

Joy is only one word I would use to describe how I feel when I step back and realize that He is my Shield.  On a day-to-day basis He stands in front of me, protecting me from the arrows that are being thrown at me and my family.  He is defending us against the attacks, seen and unseen.

For the LORD will be your confidence,
And will keep your foot from being caught.
Proverbs 3:26

Because I know that He walks with me and protects me, I can walk with confidence and be joyful in Him. Even on the days when I feel vulnerable and alone, I know He is there, and I can lift my head and rejoice in all He does for me.

This week I am going to focus on the word “surround” used in Psalm 5:12.  Not only does our Heavenly Father promise this, but He does it in a way that ensures our ultimate protection.  He doesn’t say that He will guard our front or back, He promises that we will be surrounded.  So dear sisters, take joy in the fact that His promises remain true; remember that we are protected from each side; and that the One who died on the Cross for our sins, not only did that but gives us love, protection, and the joy we need to walk the path He has created for us on a daily basis.

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Let’s Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, the hedge of protection that You surround us with on a daily basis is not some random story told in our youth, but instead it is a reality that we are blessed with through every breath we take. In Jesus’ Name, we pray, amen.