For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
The verse foretells a sufferer encircled by hostile, wicked men like dogs, which was fulfilled when enemies surrounded and closed in on Jesus at His crucifixion. It foretells the piercing of His hands and feet, which was literally fulfilled when His hands were nailed to the cross and His feet were spiked and fastened to the tree by heathen soldiers. This identifies Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah in His first coming in humiliation as a sacrifice for human sin. On Calvary He endured intense bodily agony as the sin-bearer, carrying the guilt and burden of the world's sins as the price of redemption that purchases life for those who choose it. His hands and feet were pierced for guilty, lost sinners out of deep love, and that infinite sacrifice both has power to save all who submit and calls for giving up all, denying self and refusing conformity to the world, while His followers facing opposition can look to Him for support without discouragement.
Prophecy Fulfilled at Crucifixion
The verse foretells a sufferer surrounded and enclosed by dogs and the assembly of the wicked, and this was fulfilled when wicked men and hostile enemies surrounded and closed in on Jesus at His crucifixion. The verse foretells the piercing of the sufferer's hands and feet, and this was literally fulfilled when His hands were nailed and spiked to the cross and His feet were spiked and fastened to the cross and tree. The prediction was carried out literally by the heathen soldiers who crucified Him. The surrounding prophecy also foretold onlookers seeing His bones and soldiers dividing His garments and casting lots for His clothing, which happened at the cross.
The verse identifies Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah, with the piercing belonging to His first coming in humiliation as a sacrifice for human sin. Jesus suffered this although Pilate declared he found no fault in Him, handing Him over to protect his own office. The piercing followed derision, mocking, insult, the purple robe, the crown of thorns pressed into His temples until blood flowed, and the mob's cry for His blood, leaving Him pale, weak and fainting as He was led to death. He was stretched upon the wooden cross, where He hung in agony until the sun refused to shine and angels veiled their faces.
At the cross those responsible, including the Pharisees, mocked and derided Him while He hung there, showing the hostility and bodily suffering seen by witnesses. The pierced hands were the hands that had brought blessings and healed the suffering. The pierced hands and feet were seen by His disciples after His death. His wounds and suffering came from Satan's rage against God and the cruel treatment of the Son of God in a shameful death.
Redemptive Meaning and Response
The piercing of hands and feet was endured on Calvary in intense physical agony and anguish as the sin-bearer bearing guilt in His body, carrying the burden of the world's sins and enduring the sinner's portion. In that suffering He offered Himself as a sacrifice, overcoming death and opening the gates of Paradise. His suffering and agony were the price of redemption, purchasing humanity at infinite cost, and His death as a sacrifice makes it possible for those who choose it to receive life that measures with the life of God.
His hands and feet were pierced for sinners, for guilty lost humanity, and for our sake, revealing the depth of His love in patiently bearing indignity and scorn and giving Himself for others to lift sinners up. That suffering is woundedness for human transgressions and bruising for iniquities, with His chastisement bringing peace and His stripes bringing healing. His pierced hands testify that He purchased sinners and have power to save, so that no one who submits to His rescue is beyond His reach.
Because that sacrifice was infinite, dear and great to lift sinners up, His demand for all is not too much: separation from the world, refusing conformity to the world, transformation by renewing of the mind, giving up all and denying self in the straight narrow path. His experience of opposition and suffering shows His followers may face opposition and suffering, but they can look to Him for support and should not give in to discouragement.
The verse foretells a sufferer encircled by hostile, wicked men like dogs, which was fulfilled when enemies surrounded and closed in on Jesus at His crucifixion. It foretells the piercing of His hands and feet, which was literally fulfilled when His hands were nailed to the cross and His feet were spiked and fastened to the tree by heathen soldiers. This identifies Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah in His first coming in humiliation as a sacrifice for human sin. On Calvary He endured intense bodily agony as the sin-bearer, carrying the guilt and burden of the world's sins as the price of redemption that purchases life for those who choose it. His hands and feet were pierced for guilty, lost sinners out of deep love, and that infinite sacrifice both has power to save all who submit and calls for giving up all, denying self and refusing conformity to the world, while His followers facing opposition can look to Him for support without discouragement.
Prophecy Fulfilled at Crucifixion
The verse foretells a sufferer surrounded and enclosed by dogs and the assembly of the wicked, and this was fulfilled when wicked men and hostile enemies surrounded and closed in on Jesus at His crucifixion. The verse foretells the piercing of the sufferer's hands and feet, and this was literally fulfilled when His hands were nailed and spiked to the cross and His feet were spiked and fastened to the cross and tree. The prediction was carried out literally by the heathen soldiers who crucified Him. The surrounding prophecy also foretold onlookers seeing His bones and soldiers dividing His garments and casting lots for His clothing, which happened at the cross.
The verse identifies Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah, with the piercing belonging to His first coming in humiliation as a sacrifice for human sin. Jesus suffered this although Pilate declared he found no fault in Him, handing Him over to protect his own office. The piercing followed derision, mocking, insult, the purple robe, the crown of thorns pressed into His temples until blood flowed, and the mob's cry for His blood, leaving Him pale, weak and fainting as He was led to death. He was stretched upon the wooden cross, where He hung in agony until the sun refused to shine and angels veiled their faces.
At the cross those responsible, including the Pharisees, mocked and derided Him while He hung there, showing the hostility and bodily suffering seen by witnesses. The pierced hands were the hands that had brought blessings and healed the suffering. The pierced hands and feet were seen by His disciples after His death. His wounds and suffering came from Satan's rage against God and the cruel treatment of the Son of God in a shameful death.
Redemptive Meaning and Response
The piercing of hands and feet was endured on Calvary in intense physical agony and anguish as the sin-bearer bearing guilt in His body, carrying the burden of the world's sins and enduring the sinner's portion. In that suffering He offered Himself as a sacrifice, overcoming death and opening the gates of Paradise. His suffering and agony were the price of redemption, purchasing humanity at infinite cost, and His death as a sacrifice makes it possible for those who choose it to receive life that measures with the life of God.
His hands and feet were pierced for sinners, for guilty lost humanity, and for our sake, revealing the depth of His love in patiently bearing indignity and scorn and giving Himself for others to lift sinners up. That suffering is woundedness for human transgressions and bruising for iniquities, with His chastisement bringing peace and His stripes bringing healing. His pierced hands testify that He purchased sinners and have power to save, so that no one who submits to His rescue is beyond His reach.
Because that sacrifice was infinite, dear and great to lift sinners up, His demand for all is not too much: separation from the world, refusing conformity to the world, transformation by renewing of the mind, giving up all and denying self in the straight narrow path. His experience of opposition and suffering shows His followers may face opposition and suffering, but they can look to Him for support and should not give in to discouragement.