Praying a Hedge of Protection
Previously I wrote a post about praying a “hedge of thorns” around someone as a type of prayer could be prayed on behalf of a person that might be wandering off track or pursuing things or people that may not be good for them. Similarly, another form of prayer is praying a hedge of protection. A hedge of thorns is for protection also but just a little more specific when praying to keep someone from someone or something. A hedge of protection can be a more general prayer when we want to just ask God to build up a wall of protection or a type of shield as a defense against any kind of harm that might come near.
“Hedge of protection” is used as a metaphor for protection. A hedge is simply just a barrier, border, or boundary surrounding or enclosing something or providing a means of protection or defense. We can ask God to create a safety barrier surrounding us that can protect us from any harm that we might encounter or that might try to come against us. Hedges are also often used as a boundary line to prevent someone or something from crossing to an area where they shouldn’t. Similarly, we can ask God to prevent our enemies from crossing a boundary line meant to protect us.
Some examples of a hedge of protection in scripture
Satan recognized a hedge of protection that God had put around Job.
“Have You not put a hedge [of protection] around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands [and conferred prosperity and happiness upon him], and his possessions have increased in the land.” Job 1:10 (AMP)
A hedge of thorns (a form of a hedge of protection as discussed above) is mentioned in Hosea for the prevention of going down wrong paths.
“Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns, and I will build a wall against her, so that she cannot find her paths. She shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and she shall seek them but shall not find them. Then she shall say, ‘I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now.’” Hosea 2:6-7 (ESV)
God describes a hedge as special protection for a vineyard (vineyard=an analogy for Israel here), and the owner of the vineyard (i.e. God) needs only to remove the hedge in order for the vineyard to be left exposed and destroyed.
“Now let me tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will tear down its hedges and let it be destroyed. I will break down its walls and let the animals trample it.” Isaiah 5:5 (NLT)
Scriptures about being surrounded by protection
There are many scriptures throughout the Bible that present the idea that the Lord surrounds people and places with his protection. Often verbiage is used such as surrounding, going before and following, encamping, enclosing, sheltering, concealing, covering, spreading over, and so on. These could be examples of “hedges” or of God “hedging” his people.