Psalm 22:18
They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.
Today’s Reading: Psalm 22
We are starting with verse 16 today. A few verses ago, the psalmist referred to the bulls surrounding him and the roaring lions that open their mouths wide against him. Now he is referring to the dogs that surround him. He is no longer even worthy of being food for bulls and lions. The dogs are unclean scavenger animals. Their presence implies that he’s as good as dead and no longer prey for hunting animals. He’s merely food for the scavengers.
A pack of villains pierce his hands and feet. This is an amazing prophecy since these words were penned by David nearly 500 years before crucifixion was even invented. During the crucifixion, the Roman soldiers would have driven nails through his wrists. The nail would go through the place where the median nerve is located. This is the largest nerve going out of the hand and it would essentially be crushed by the nail. This would cause a pain similar to what it feels like when you hit your funny bone on the elbow.
All his bones are on display. This is somewhat hyperbole but it’s also somewhat literally accurate. Jesus was flogged before his crucifixion. The soldier conducting the flogging would use a whip of braided leather thongs with metal balls and pieces of sharp bone woven into them. The balls would cause deep bruises that would break open after multiple lashes while the pieces of bone would cut the flesh open. Often the back would be so shredded that part of the spine would be exposed.
They divide his clothes among them and cast lots for his garment. The apostle John records these actions for us:
“When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
‘Let’s not tear it,’ they said to one another. ‘Let’s decide by lot who will get it.’
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,
‘They divided my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.’
So this is what the soldiers did (John 19:23-24).
The section of Psalm 22 from verse 12 through 18 is astounding prophecy. It’s such a clear description of a crucifixion that was recorded hundreds of years before its invention. This is clearly divine prophecy that Jesus fulfilled when he went to the cross for us. Crucifixion is such a brutal method of execution and our savior willingly suffered through it. It’s simply amazing grace!
Christ in the Old Testament 
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