Book of Psalms - Chapter 22 - Verse 17

Psalm 22:17 is a verse that portrays the intense suffering and agony that the speaker is enduring. The phrase "I may tell all my bones" suggests extreme physical hardship, as if the speaker's body has wasted away to the point where each individual bone can be counted. This vivid imagery conveys a sense of emaciation and weakness. The following statement, "they look and stare upon me," indicates that the speaker feels as though all of their suffering is on display for others to see. It conveys a sense of vulnerability and isolation, as if the speaker is being scrutinized or judged by those around them. The verse captures the depths of despair and anguish that the speaker is experiencing, highlighting the intensity of their suffering and the feeling of being completely exposed and alone in their pain.

Psalm 22:17 provides a powerful imagery of extreme suffering, where the psalmist describes feeling such anguish that he can count all his bones, symbolic of his emaciated state. This vivid depiction of physical suffering is commonly interpreted by theologians as a representation of the psalmist's deep distress and agony. The mention of bones being visible implies a state of extreme weakness and frailty, as if every part of his body is on display for all to see. The following phrase "they look and stare upon me" emphasizes the loneliness and vulnerability the psalmist feels, as if even his own body is turning against him or as if he is a spectacle for others to gawk at. This verse is often associated with the suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross, where he too experienced deep physical and emotional pain, fulfilling the prophecy laid out in this psalm.