Saint Louis, Missouri, United States - 2014 Daily Lenten Devotion "A PACK OF WILD DOGS" for Tuesday, 1 April 2014 - Read Psalm 59: For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.
1 Deliver me from my enemies, my God.
Set me on high from those who rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity.
Save me from the bloodthirsty men.
3 For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul.
The mighty gather themselves together against me,
not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, Yahweh.
4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
Rise up, behold, and help me!
5 You, Yahweh God of Armies, the God of Israel,
rouse yourself to punish the nations.
Show no mercy to the wicked traitors.
Selah.
6 They return at evening, howling like dogs,
and prowl around the city.
7 Behold, they spew with their mouth.
Swords are in their lips,
“For”, they say, “who hears us?”
8 But you, Yahweh, laugh at them.
You scoff at all the nations.
9 Oh, my Strength, I watch for you,
for God is my high tower.
10 My God will go before me with his loving kindness.
God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.
11 Don’t kill them, or my people may forget.
Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.
12 For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips,
let them be caught in their pride,
for the curses and lies which they utter.
13 Consume them in wrath.
Consume them, and they will be no more.
Let them know that God rules in Jacob,
to the ends of the earth.
Selah.
14 At evening let them return.
Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.
15 They shall wander up and down for food,
and wait all night if they aren’t satisfied.
16 But I will sing of your strength.
Yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning.
For you have been my high tower,
a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 To you, my strength, I will sing praises.
For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.
TEXT: For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me (see Psalm 22:16).
King David's prophecy of Jesus' crucifixion returns to the animal theme we saw several days ago. He wrote of bulls and lions; now he writes of a pack of wild dogs. By itself, a single dog may not be as powerful or intimidating as a bull or lion. A pack of wild dogs, however, are relentless predators that run down their prey. These dogs take turns leading the pack, so there are always fresh dogs heading up the chase. That's where the expression "to dog someone" comes from, to keep nipping at their heels, pursuing them until they grow weary and become exhausted. This method allows a pack of dogs to bring down prey animals much larger than themselves.
All kinds of Jewish officials dogged Jesus' steps throughout His ministry. They spied on Him, challenged Him, countered Him, accused Him, tried to interfere and turn the crowds against Him.
When the single, exhausted animal stops to rest, the dogs form a circle around it, and close in for the kill. David uses a couplet to reveal the true identity of the "dogs" encompassing Jesus: they are a company of evildoers encircling His cross. It includes all those who have brought Him to the cross: the Roman soldiers who nailed Him there, Pontius Pilate who abandoned Him, the Jewish leaders who engineered His destruction, and the mob that sought His life, now standing, watching and mocking Him.
That company of evildoers includes Judas who betrayed Him, Peter who denied Him, and the remainder of the Twelve who abandoned Him. It also includes you and me-for He is carrying our sins to the cross.
THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, Your enemies showed the persistence of a pack of wild dogs. Forgive my sin and protect me from all harm and danger that I may remain in this faith and live with You in Paradise. Amen.
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Lutheran Hour Ministries
660 Mason Ridge Center
St. Louis, MO 63141 United States
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