The Twenty-Third Psalm for Battered Women

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The LORD is my shepherd…
He leads me tenderly in loving ways and he never takes his watchful eyes off of me. His motives towards me are always good. He never manipulates me or forces his will upon me. I am always safe with him.

I shall not be in want…
Everything I could ever want or need is found in him. He is an everlasting fountain of love, strength, peace, joy, and provision. His actions line up with his word to me. No broken promises. No unmet needs.

He makes me lie down in green pastures…
He gently takes my hand and leads me out of a barren wasteland and into a lush meadow so that I can truly rest. I bask contentedly in the sun as I run my fingers across cool blades of soft grass. I am genuinely at peace as I breathe in the crisp air of freedom and safety.

He leads me besides quiet waters…
He trades the violence and turmoil of my raging sea for the safety and tranquility of a peaceful lake. As I rest on the shore of the lake my burdens fall to the ground and I soak in the stillness. It is in this stillness that I can hear his soft voice speak. He whispers the mysteries of his love and mercy to my spirit and I am calm.

He restores my soul…
He returns to me everything that has been stolen from me. He puts all the pieces of my broken life back together. He does not rest until my heart is completely healed, I am totally delivered from fear and shame, my bond with my children is strong and solid, my finances are secure, and my victory over darkness is sure. In him my restoration is complete.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake…
He calls me to follow him even when the path to freedom seems overwhelmingly impossible. He stays right by my side and encourages me along the way. When the path he has chosen for me leads to deliverance, healing, and victory, all glory goes to him and him alone. His name is glorified because I follow him where he leads.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…
Even though I am threatened, intimidated, assaulted, and terrorized I can follow him to freedom and trust him to delver me safely from the evil that is confronting me. In his power and anointing I can walk out of the valley of the shadow of death and never return.

His rod and his staff, they comfort me…
He keeps my enemies at bay with his mighty rod and I know that I am protected. When I lose my footing or head towards danger he saves me with a gentle reach of his staff. Knowing that I have a vigilant, loving guardian brings comfort.

He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies…
He fills my life with good things even when I am surrounded by those who hate me and treat me with contempt. Even though an abusive man tells me that I will never make it on my own, God meets my every need in every circumstance. Even though the courts do not support me or my children, he opens the door to deliverance. Even though friends, my family, or religious leaders do not support me and judge me without mercy, he leads me to freedom and gives me a double portion for my shame. I feast on the delicacies of his goodness as the battle rages around me.

He anoints my head with oil…
He pours out his Holy Spirit without limit. He refreshes me with his presence and anointing right when I need it. The oil of his Spirit gives me the ability to face every circumstance with courage, wisdom, and supernatural strength. His anointing oil is my unending supply of power and victory over darkness.

My cup overflows…
He showers me with blessings that cannot be contained. When I am healed, I become a healer. When I am delivered from fear and shame, I am a conduit of his deliverance to others. When I dance for joy because of the freedom I have found in him, others look on in wonder and decide that they want to dance too.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life…
He has not chosen fear, violence, and shame for my life. It is his will that my days be filled with his mercy and love. He has good plans for me and when I align my will with his, he gives me beauty for my ashes.

And I will dwell in house of the LORD forever…
When I breathe I my last breath it will be as an overcomer. I will close my eyes for one last time on this earth, and when they open in heaven I will see Jesus face to face. I will run into his arms and know that the struggle was worth it. I will dance in the presence of my good shepherd and he will rejoice over me will singing.

2 Comments:

  1. This is just beautiful!!! I love the part about Restoring of the Soul, rebuilding of the bonds with children etc. I am experiencing all of it and as things are restored, you realize how much had been taken and how damaged they had become through trying to hang on too long.

    • Thank You! I am so happy to hear that you are at the restoring of the soul phase! It just gets better and better. Is there still spiritual warfare? You bet. But God is faithful and he is our good shepherd.

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