Dogs Have Compassed Me - Psalms 22:16

In Psalms chapter twenty-two David appealed to Jehovah God saying, “Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and you have brought me into the dust of death”, and in chapter twenty two and verse sixteen of Psalms David said, “for dogs have compassed me” where we read,

For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me:

they pierced my hands and my feet.

The verse begins, “For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me:” David began with the words, “For dogs” which means “because, since and on account that attack dogs or cult prostitutes” “have compassed me” or “have encircled and surrounded me, David”: “the assembly” which means “the congregation or gathering” “of the wicked” or “pertaining to the bad, evil, displeasing and injurious” “have enclosed me” which means “have encompassed and surrounded me, David, as though to strike with violence”. David said people who were like attack dogs or cultish prostitutes surrounded him to strike him with evil and violence.

The verse goes on to say, “they pierced my hands and my feet.” David continued with the words, “they pierced” or “the dogs who surrounded David bore open” “my hands” which means “my, David's physical hands” “and my feet” or “and my, David's, physical feet”. David wrote how the “dogs” who surrounded him bore holes in his physical hands and feet.

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how David considered the people who encompassed him as “attack dogs” or “cultish prostitutes”, and he referred to the way they bore holds in his “physical hands and feet”. This is another picture of Jesus who was nailed to the cross through His hands and feet. (See John 19:23, 37) Jesus hung on the cross and died for the sins of all mankind, and anyone who believes and trusts in Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with God. Jehovah God is to be praised not only for prophesying these words through David, but also for allowing Jesus to carry out the fulfillment of them so we may be saved.

Next time David says, “I may tell all my bones”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".