What the Bible Says About Dogs by Myra Kahn Adams for Town Hall
Thanks for joining us! We begin our study about dogs in the Bible with a famous quote from President Harry Truman: “You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog.”
However, in Scripture, our furry, four-legged friends were physically and symbolically associated with everything unholy, unclean, wild, and sinful. Dogs in ancient times were feared scavengers, often roaming the streets in attack packs. Compare that to modern times when my friend bought a puppy with hopes of meeting her future husband at the dog park. (First stopping at the local bow-wow bakery for some enticing treats.)
Now let’s review some Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) verses and then the New Testament.
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Dogs are mentioned in Psalm 22, considered a Messianic prophecy associated with Christ’s suffering on the cross. Psalm 22 is also the most frequently quoted Psalm in the New Testament. Here are the verses relevant to our study:
“Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment. But you, LORD, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me. Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen” (Psalm 22:16-21).
The “power of dogs” is used as a metaphor for enemies of the anguished writer — traditionally thought to be King David.
Dogs in Scripture are often associated with cringe-worthy imagery:
“As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly” (Proverbs 26:11).
Numerous verses with dogs involve them eating human flesh and licking blood. One such is Psalm 68, shown below, followed by three examples from 1 Kings:
