Psalm 22:17

Linus: That cloud up there looks a little like the profile of Thomas Eakins, the famous painter and sculptor. And that group of clouds over there gives me the impression of the Stoning of Stephen. I can see the Apostle Paul standing there to one side.
Lucy: Uh huh. That's very good. What do you see in the clouds, Charlie Brown?
Charlie Brown: Well... I was going to say I saw a duckie and a horsie but I changed my mind.

There are a couple of posts on Psalm 22:17 from John with a second on its way and a response from Duane. I thought I would look to see if there were structural reasons to support the traditional LXX reading that is used in the NT. It appears there are. There are animals in these clouds and they are in circular structures:

• Bulls verse 13, פָּרִים,
• lion verse 14, אַרְיֵה,
• dogs verse 17, כְּלָבִים,
• then the reverse dog, lion, horns of wild bulls, verses 21-22.

The lion of verse 17 is not required for the structure and could even be seen as distracting from its centre which seems to be: וְאַתָּה יְהוָה אַל תִּרְחָק But thou, O LORD, do not be distant from me... repeating this word רָחוֹק 'distant' that defines a circle from verses 2 to 11.