Unmasking the Domestic Abuser in the Church

Psalm 64 – Protection from the Secret Plots of the Enemy

Psalm 64 is a great encouragement to God’s people who are attacked with lies and slander by the enemy. David prays for God’s protection from the secret plots of the wicked. These secret plots are in the form of bitter words, lies and deception, suddenly shot at the blameless.  The enemy has no conscience as his arrows of lies are fixed on his target without fear and yet with evil intent.
But…

We are reminded that the enemy is not the only one with arrows.  In verse 7 we are told that God also has arrows, and with only 1 arrow God will bring to ruin the enemy. We, the righteous, can rejoice and take refuge in God, knowing He will be vindicated and we, His people, will be protected.

Psalm 64 ESV

Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint;
    preserve my life from dread of the enemy.
Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
    from the throng of evildoers,
who whet their tongues like swords,
    who aim bitter words like arrows,
shooting from ambush at the blameless,
    shooting at him suddenly and without fear.
They hold fast to their evil purpose;
    they talk of laying snares secretly,
thinking, “Who can see them?”
    They search out injustice,
saying, “We have accomplished a diligent search.”
    For the inward mind and heart of a man are deep.

But God shoots his arrow at them;
    they are wounded suddenly.
They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them;
    all who see them will wag their heads.
Then all mankind fears;
    they tell what God has brought about
    and ponder what he has done.

10 Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord
    and take refuge in him!
Let all the upright in heart exult!

You may want to visit our “Encouragement from the Psalms” page for this and other Psalms.

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1 Comment

  1. lg

    Thank you for making this page.
    When I first left my abuser, by God’s grace, I read Psalm 18 for the first time and was blown away.
    I had never understood before then how much the Psalms are designed to give comfort and encouragement to the oppressed. And before then, I had only understood “oppressed” to be a people group, like the Afghans or slaves.
    But now – I see oppression everywhere: in the political sphere, in journalism, in the family courts, on an individual levels: a parent bullying and threatening a teacher over a grade, children bullying one another over social media, bullying a cake baker, and of course what is most real and I would say frightening is when it is in your own home, from someone you once trusted your life with, and when it is someone who constantly seeks to threaten your custody and parenting time and destroy a parent/child relationship at the expense of the child.
    Mentality of abuse (entitlement to exercises power and control over another by whatever means necessary) is the umbrella of oppression from which all acts of oppression descend: deceit, gas-lighting, scheming, violence, manipulations, threats, exploitation…..
    The spirit of the abuser, the oppressor, has been the same since the beginning of time and in ancient days. The Psalms reminds us.
    The same spirit of deceit and destruction seeks worship and to reign over others today.
    However, no matter how dark things seems, the Psalms also remind us that it is God who is in control, not the abuser, no matter how mighty he tries to make himself.
    God collects our tears in his bottle and keeps a record of them (Ps 56:8). He counts them and will bring justice and His wrath towards those who make others cry. His nostrils flare with smoke, brings hailstones on the enemy and gives vengeance, he rescues and delivers us from the man of violence: Psalm 18:
    PSALM 18: A Deliverance from the Man of Violence
    The cords of death encompassed me;
    the torrents of destruction assailed me;
    5 the cords of Sheol entangled me;
    the snares of death confronted me.
    In my distress I called upon the Lord;
    to my God I cried for help.
    From his temple he heard my voice,
    and my cry to him reached his ears.
    He sent from on high, he took me;
    he drew me out of many waters.
    17 He rescued me from my strong enemy
    and from those who hated me,
    for they were too mighty for me…
    He brought me out into a broad place;
    he rescued me…
    He made my feet like the feet of a deer
    and set me secure on the heights….
    He trains my hands for war…
    and your right hand supported me,
    and your gentleness made me great.
    36 You gave a wide place for my steps under me,
    and my feet did not slip.
    and subdued peoples under me,
    48 who rescued me from my enemies;
    yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me;
    you delivered me from the man of violence.

    1

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