Strong bulls of Bashan … like a roaring lion … dogs have compassed me … the power of the dog … the lion’s mouth …” Ps 22:12, 13, 16, 20, 21 KJV

Strong bulls of Bashan … like a roaring lion … dogs have surrounded me … The power of the dog … the lion’s mouth …” Ps 22:12, 13, 16, 20, 21 NASB

Psalm 22 employs graphic language as the Spirit of God seeks to give us an insight into the depth of the Savior’s suffering at Calvary. Many of David’s experiences are reflected in various Psalms, but all agree that there is nothing in David’s life which would even remotely correspond to the description given of suffering in Psalm 22. This is Calvary, one millennium earlier than its enactment.

The Scriptures often use metaphors and similes in an attempt to provide deeper insights into realities. We often do this in common speech with others. Here, however, we are on Holy ground and need to reign in imagination, seeking to understand the implications of each “picture “afforded us.

The enemies of the Lord Jesus are characterized as bulls, a lion, and dogs. Amos speaks of the Kine or bulls of Bashan (4:1) and how they were oppressing and crushing the people. We are on safe ground then to view the bulls of Bashan as the leaders who sought to crush the Lord Jesus. When we look back at verse 6 and note the only animal to which the Lord compared Himself, a “worm,” we see the effort of the leaders to “crush” the worm beneath their feet and be rid of Him entirely.

The lion is frequently symbolic of Satan and his ferocity against the people of God. Here, he is seen roaring and seeking to devour (v 21) the “worm” and remove Him from the earth. In Luke 4:13, we read that “Satan departed from Him for a season.” Satan returned with all of his lion-like ferocity, seeking to instill fear into the Lord Jesus by his roaring at the cross. He then sought to “devour” Him as a lion would devour its prey. But the lion had to retreat, defeated!

The dogs are obviously the Gentiles. More specifically, the Gentile soldiers who had impaled Him to the tree and then sat down to watch, keeping guard. They were stationed at the cross to ensure that no one would attempt to rescue the crucified. Their watch was as needless here as it was useless as the guard at the tomb when they were not able to hinder resurrection.

And what of the Lord Jesus? As mentioned previously, He is likened to only one animal, a worm. For all of us, to liken ourselves to a worm would involve a struggle with pride and our self-esteem. But for Christ, there was no struggle, no need to somehow overcome an inflated ego or self-esteem. “He humbled Himself.”

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Consider

Look at some of the other imagery employed to give insight into His sufferings: a Heart like wax, tongue that was parched, poured out like water, strength dried up like a potsherd, the dust of death.

Any thought on what verse 21 may mean? “Thou hast heard Me from the horns of the unicorn (or wild oxen).”