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For dogs have surrounded me. A company of evildoers have enclosed me. They have pierced my hands and feet.
Psalms 22:16 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
  • BSB For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.
  • NKJV For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet;
  • NASB For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet.
  • NLT My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 26

  • John 19:37Again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they pierced.”
  • Zech 12:10I will pour on David’s house, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they will look to me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for his firstborn.
  • Matt 27:35When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among them, casting lots,
  • John 20:25The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
  • John 19:23Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
  • John 19:34However one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
  • Mark 15:24Crucifying him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots on them, what each should take.
  • John 20:27Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.”
  • Luke 23:33When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.
  • Mark 15:16–20The soldiers led him away within the court, which is the Praetorium; and they called together the whole cohort.
  • Phil 3:2Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision.
  • Ps 22:20Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.
  • Isa 53:5But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed.
  • Luke 23:4–5Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
  • Luke 23:23But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. Their voices and the voices of the chief priests prevailed.
  • Ps 59:6They return at evening, howling like dogs, and prowl around the city.
  • Luke 23:10–11The chief priests and the scribes stood, vehemently accusing him.
  • Ps 22:1For the Chief Musician; set to “The Doe of the Morning.” A Psalm by David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
  • Ps 86:14God, the proud have risen up against me. A company of violent men have sought after my soul, and they don’t hold regard for you before them.
  • Rev 22:15Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
  • Luke 11:53–54As he said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be terribly angry, and to draw many things out of him;
  • Matt 26:57Those who had taken Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.
  • Luke 22:63–71The men who held Jesus mocked him and beat him.
  • Matt 7:6“Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
  • Ps 59:14At evening let them return. Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.
  • Jer 12:6For even your brothers, and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you; even they have cried aloud after you! Don’t believe them, though they speak beautiful words to you.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

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Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 22:16YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 22:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.