Psalm 22 16

Psalm 22:16 kjv

For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

Psalm 22:16 nkjv

For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet;

Psalm 22:16 niv

Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet.

Psalm 22:16 esv

For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet ?

Psalm 22:16 nlt

My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs;
an evil gang closes in on me.
They have pierced my hands and feet.

Psalm 22 verses

Psalm 22 16 Meaning

Psalm 22:16 vividly portrays the overwhelming and vicious assault on a righteous sufferer by malevolent adversaries, likened to ravenous dogs. The culminating phrase details a specific, excruciating injury: the piercing of hands and feet. This verse is profoundly prophetic, detailing suffering that would later find its ultimate fulfillment in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Psalm 22 16 Context

Psalm 22 stands as a prophetic masterpiece, intricately detailing the suffering of the Messiah. It begins with the profound cry, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (v. 1), which Jesus echoed on the cross. The first section (vv. 1-21) is a lament describing the intense anguish, public humiliation, and feeling of abandonment. The physical torments, emotional agony, and the nature of the enemies described in verses 12-18 provide a startlingly precise foretelling of Christ's crucifixion. Verse 16 fits within this escalating depiction of torment, presenting enemies as savage beasts and detailing a unique physical injury. The psalm transitions dramatically in verses 22-31 to praise and global acknowledgement of God's redemptive work, highlighting the ultimate victory despite extreme suffering. Historically, while David likely faced formidable foes, the specifics of this Psalm transcend typical human suffering and point distinctly to the future divine event.

Psalm 22 16 Word analysis

• For dogs (kəlaḇîm): The Hebrew word for "dogs" signifies scavenging, wild, and contemptible animals in ancient Israel. Unlike domesticated pets today, dogs were often associated with uncleanness, viciousness, and scavengers, symbolizing impurity and destructive enemies. The imagery conveys a sense of brutal, merciless, and depraved attackers.
• encompass me (sāḇəḇunî): This verb means to surround, encircle, or close in upon. It implies being hemmed in without escape, completely vulnerable to the hostile presence. The imagery suggests a trap or being cornered.
• a company of evildoers (ʿădhaṯ məḥărʿîm): ʿădhaṯ typically means "congregation" or "assembly," often used positively for Israel, but here it is ominously qualified by məḥărʿîm, meaning "evildoers" or "wicked ones." It refers to an organized, collective group united in malice and evil intent against the sufferer, emphasizing their coordinated malevolence rather than mere scattered adversaries.
• encircles me (hiqîpūnî): This term also means to surround, encircle, or enclose. Its presence after "encompass me" functions as poetic parallelism, intensifying the idea of being completely surrounded and cornered by the hostile multitude, leaving no room for escape or defense.
• they have pierced (LXX: ōruxan, ὤρυξαν, "dug, bored through, pierced"; MT: kəʾǎrî, כְּאַרִי, "like a lion"): This is the most critically debated phrase.
  • LXX Reading (ōruxan): The Greek Septuagint, an ancient pre-Christian translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, renders this as "they dug/pierced." This aligns remarkably with the description of crucifixion. The verb ōrysso means to dig, excavate, or bore through, fitting the action of nails.
  • Masoretic Text Reading (kəʾarî): The standard Hebrew Masoretic Text reads "like a lion." Grammatically, this reading presents a difficulty in construction ("like a lion my hands and my feet"), often interpreted as "they have bound like a lion my hands and feet," or "a lion (my adversary) is at my hands and feet" suggesting a lion tearing at the hands and feet. However, in the context of Psalm 22's clear prefigurement of crucifixion details, the "pierced" reading has profound theological and Christological significance, supported by New Testament fulfillment and patristic tradition. Early Christian interpreters and various textual evidences leaned towards a reading supporting "pierced."
• my hands and my feet (yād̄ay wə-raḡlāy): These are precise body parts critical for action, support, and movement. The specific mention of hands and feet being affected indicates a very particular and excruciating form of affliction, directly pointing to the nailing in crucifixion, a punishment unknown in David's time for Jewish people, making its specificity a striking prophecy.

Psalm 22 16 Bonus section

The textual variant for "pierced" or "like a lion" in Psalm 22:16 is one of the most significant and ancient in the Old Testament. While the standard Masoretic Text (MT), codified much later, reads "like a lion," early Greek translations (Septuagint, ὤρυξαν) and even some early Latin versions present the "pierced" reading. This divergence has led to extensive scholarly debate regarding which reading is original. Christian tradition overwhelmingly views the Septuagint reading as authoritative for this verse, not least because of its literal and profound fulfillment in Jesus' crucifixion. The grammatical oddity of "like a lion my hands and my feet" in the MT further strengthens the case for "pierced" as a more contextually fitting and historically verified reading for Christian understanding, seeing the Suffering Servant's ultimate agony detailed in advance. This textual "coincidence" serves as a powerful evidence for the supernatural origin of Scripture and the specific Messianic identity of Jesus.

Psalm 22 16 Commentary

Psalm 22:16 encapsulates a profound prophetic message, moving from general affliction to startling specificity. The initial imagery of "dogs" and "a company of evildoers" paints a vivid picture of the sheer cruelty and overwhelming numerical superiority of the enemies. This collective, animalistic malice reflects the baying mob and hostile authorities at Jesus' crucifixion. The climax, "they have pierced my hands and my feet," is exceptionally precise. Regardless of the textual variant debated by scholars—whether "like a lion" in the Masoretic Text or "they have pierced" in the Septuagint—the New Testament undeniably portrays Jesus’ hands and feet being nailed to the cross (Jn 20:25, Lk 24:39-40), affirming the "pierced" interpretation as a fulfilled prophecy. This verse underscores the extreme suffering endured by the Messiah, depicting not just general torment, but a specific, brutal method of execution that was precisely carried out centuries later. It testifies to God's detailed foreknowledge and sovereign plan of salvation through His Suffering Servant.