As Jesus hung on the Cross, per Psalm 22 specifically, He was confronted by many enemies. Both physical, those inflicting pain on His sinless human body … but also spiritual enemies, those torturing Him in His Spotless Soul, in His very Spirit!

He depicts the latter group in four ways! Spiritual antagonists …

“Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.” They are “dogs,” Psalm 22:20.

Verse 21 adds two more! “Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.” A lion (Satan himself?) and then some unicorns!

And oh, I nearly forgot! “Bulls” too! Back in verse 12 … “Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.”

I suggest to you that no literal bull or lions or unicorns were on Mount Calvary that day!

Jesus is suffering in His Spirit here, His Soul is being “poured out unto death.” (Isaiah 53:12)

Such inner suffering, such passion of soul … is indescribable with mere words, with sentences of any language.

It is a Price Jesus paid (not only in giving His Body, not only in shedding His Blood) but via the Agony of Soul expressed in the separation of His Spirit from His Father!

Goodness, we are back to verse 1 of Pslam 22 … “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?”

What a Saviour!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Ponder these ideas with me, please.

And let these Portions of Scripture incite in us a deeper (an ever deepening) Love for the Lord Jesus!