In this article, I do a deeper dive into the narcissistic characteristics David wrote about in Psalm 10. We also find these characteristics in several individuals in the bible. They include: Laban, Pharaoh, Jezebel, King Saul, Nabal, Nebudchanezzar and Herod the Tetrach. And the biggest one of them, Lucifer! Narcissism has no respect of gender or age. I intend to write more about these individuals and their narcissistic traits in a separate article.
Today’s focus is on recognizing narcissists and their traits through biblical principles. I will share examples of individuals the Lord rejected due to this behavior, and reveal His views on unrepentant people. I also have a free checklist tool to help you determine if you are idolizing your relationship, along with prayers and practical steps to take if you find yourself in this harmful pattern.
But before we go into Psalm 10, I would like to set the stage for this topic. Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a trending global issue at the moment and the online community has certainly caught wind of it. I hate to admit it but the secular world of psychology and therapy are way ahead of the faith and christian community in dealing with this issue. Now, because the church is either unaware of or deliberately tolerating this terrible spirit, it is taking deep roots in our church, families and overall plaguing society. Jesus condemns the church in Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-23) for tolerating the spirit of Jezebel in churches which is causing people to sin. I address more on the CHURCH AND ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS HERE.
We find Narcissists in every walk of life from Doctors, to Heads of Companies to Pastors. In the USA, it is statistically proven that 1 in 200 people exhibit this quality with up to 75% of that proportion being male (The Recovery Village, 2024). In the UK, 1 in 20 people exhibit this quality, with up to 65% of that proportion being male (CPD Online College, 2025). It is worth noting that these figures are estimates based off the diagnosed conditions known to professionals and also estimated from a certain number of people. That number could be far greater as a lot of undiagnosed conditions have not been accounted for.
One thing is for sure. When you give yourself to this spirit, you act as a tool in the hands of the enemy. A pawn in the kingdom of darkness to wreck havoc in the lives of other people.
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The Narcissistic Spectrum and Types
Based on where they sit on the narcissistic spectrum, some of these characteristic can range from normal, to mild, to severe traits. By this I mean a range from wanting to have a somewhat level of control to being emotionally shallow, lacking empathy to having an absolute & pathological desire for power and control by using manipulation tactics, deceit and a sadistic streak where they enjoy other people’s pain.
There are 5 main types which I will discuss in more depth in a separate article so do sign up to receive my newsletter if you’re interested in learning more. Every week I share a summary of everything we have posted on the blog and on our youtube channel.
Asides from having a spectrum, the 5 types of narcissism can graduate on that scale based on the level of severity. These 5 types include: Overt, Covert, Antagonistic, Communal and Malignant narcissistic types.
Let’s Understand the Narcissist- Christian Perspective
One thing is for sure. When you give yourself to this spirit, you act as a tool in the hands of the enemy. A pawn in the kingdom of darkness to wreck havoc in your life and the lives of other people. Luke 11:25 – 26, here Jesus perfectly explains how the human being cannot exist as a vacuum. ‘When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says ” I will return to the house I left”. When it arrives it finds the house swept clean and out in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first’.
In essence, any entity that does not glorify God and remains empty and void of the presence of the Lord will attract demons. Here in lies the dilemma of individuals struggling with and tolerating narcissistic personality. It is an unclean spirit that attracts other unclean spirits like hatred, malice, revenge, resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, self-reliance, self-preservation, lust, unholiness. Narcicissm, amongst other personality flaws has been thoroughly described in 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
Self reliance and self preservation only leads to pride which leads to rebellion, a hardened heart, un-repentance and eventually death. Both physical and spiritual death. If a sinner continues in sin and unrepentance, sometimes, the Lord will permit an intercessor to stop praying for them.
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We have been advised that it gets worse as we approach the end of the age, the last days. Paul advises us to disregard those who ignore warning signs and show no remorse for their bad behaviour (see also 1 Corinthians 5:5).
What are the Spiritual Implications of Narcissism?
The characters in the opening paragraph share common traits: they let unresolved childhood trauma, insecurity, pride, and hurt affect them. Today, instead of inviting Jesus into their hearts for healing, they often harden themselves against it. They prefer to handle their issues alone, promising to avoid further pain. However, this self-reliance fosters pride, which can lead to rebellion, a hardened heart, a lack of repentance, and ultimately, death—both physically and spiritually.
There is only so much prayer and there is a limit to the amount of prayers that can change an individual. For example, your prayers to see a loved one saved can only be as effective as that person making a conscious decision in their hearts and confessing with their mouths that indeed Jesus Christ is Lord.
The enemy knows that if he can’t get you from an outside source or person, he will use those closest to you. It could be a parent, care-giver, your boss, pastor, or spouse.
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If a sinner continues in sin and unrepentance, sometimes, the Lord will permit an intercessor to stop praying for them. A case and example was in 1 Samuel 16:1, when the Lord asked Samuel to stop mourning and interceding for King Saul. God said ‘How long are you going to mourn for Saul now that I have rejected him as king of Israel’ May the Lord not reject us after appointing and anointing us. The Lord rejected Saul because he was disobedient to an instruction, by sparing King Agag (1 Samuel 15). And again, King Saul disobeyed and rebelled against the instruction to wait for prophet Samuel before offering the evening sacrifice (1 Samuel 13). He willingly chose to be rebellious to the Lord’s instruction. His heart was not right before the Lord.
As such, Narcissists are rejected by God, separated from God and condemned to eternal damnation.
When you’re in a narcissistic relationship, the goal is to entangle you deeply. They want you to live for them and worship them, which goes against God’s command in Exodus 20:3 to have no other gods but Him.
enjoying marriage
Satan’s Devious Plan to Destroy the Narcissist and their close Relations
A christian narcissist, which is a very complicated and untrue term in my opinion is Satan’s bait. They are compromised in the walk and faith already because anyone that believes in Jesus will not tolerate the sin of narcissism. They will only wear the hat of a christian as a disguise but we shall know a true believer by their fruits and not word of mouth. Even the Lord rejected all of David’s brothers but David because his heart was right before the Lord.
The enemy knows that if he can’t get you from an outside source or person, he will use those closest to you. It could be a parent, care-giver, your boss, pastor, or spouse. His tactic to draw you into sin has not changed. Just like Jezebel stirred Ahab to do wrong, the enemy would use that person as a bait to get you to fall into sin of anger, sexual immorality, strife, malice, to name a few. This is why Jesus advises that we watch and pray and do not faint because the enemy walks to and fro like a roaring lion looking for whom to devour. It is your responsibility to protect your heart and your relationship with the Lord.
If you feel like you’re in a narcissistic relationship and are potentially idolising your marriage, use myIS YOUR MARRIAGE AN IDOL FREE CHECKLIST TOOL HERE. The enemy wants to keep you trapped in that dysfunctional relationship. This prevents you from seeking freedom to serve and worship your God. Ultimately, not fulfilling your purpose on earth or the destiny God has for your life.
When you’re in a narcissistic relationship, the goal is to entangle you deeply. They want you to live for them and worship them, which goes against God’s command in Exodus 20:3 to have no other gods but Him. Often, you may do this without realizing it, trying to keep the peace while feeling pressured to prove your loyalty. When a narcissist projects their faults onto you, it’s usually because they are guilty of those same things. I will write a separate article on the signs of being in a narcissistic relationship, so please subscribe to receive my weekly newsletters for updates on my blog and YouTube channel.
Checklist to Assess if your Marriage / Relationship has become an Idol.
The Belief System of the Narcissist- Biblical ViewPoint
In my personal prayer and study time, the Lord exposed the heart of the unrepentant narcissistic individual using Psalm 10. Here is what he exposed and the lies they believe in their heart concerning their victims and God.
Reference Psalm 10
Verse 2– “the arrogant man hunts down the weak who are caught in the schemes he devises”. They effectively search out for an individual that fits a description and model of the evil script and plan they had. That plan would comprise of an agenda to fulfil a selfish ambition so they look for unsuspecting and most times, weak or isolated individuals.
Verse 4– “the wicked man does not seek God and does not give room to God in his thoughts”. This individual does not have the fear of the Lord.
Verse 5– “he continues to be prosperous and believes in his own strength, knowledge and intellect”. This individual is so proud and believes in the self-made notion. They are self sufficient and all together worship self.
Verse 7– “his mouth is full of lies and threats. There is trouble and evil under his tongue”. This individual is not filled with the spirit of the Lord and lies so comfortably. They do this with the intention to manipulate and control the outcome of an event or situation to fit their own narrative. Lying and twisting the truth are the very characteristics of Satan himself. The bible calls him the father of all lies. No one that has the spirit and fear of God will be comfortable to live in sin or tolerate sin.
The Belief System of the Narcissist- God’s ViewPoint
Verse 10– his victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength. Reminds me of the case of the strongman in Mark 3:27. A strongman is a person that takes a hostage captive or imprisons an individual.
Sometimes, they do this when a legal ground has been given perhaps due to the prisoners fault or no fault of their own. A strongman will take someone captive with the aim of breaking their mind, will and emotions so that they can have the utmost control not just over their bodies but their soul. The mind, will and emotions comprise of the soul as we see that man is tripartite (body, soul and spirit) 1 Thessalonians 5:23. So when verse 10 mentions that his victims are crushed and collapse under his strength, they are both physically and soul crushed. This is evil!
No one should have the right to take another person captive in a relationship with an evil intention to retrain them to serve or idolise them. It is demonic, ungodly and wicked. Man was not created to serve another human being but to serve God. And God through Jesus Christ with the help of the HolySpirit. So it breaks my heart when I read about or hear stories of people in intimate partner relationships (marriage context) that find themselves in these so called unions that only serves one person and crushes the soul of another.
This is certainly not the kind of marriage Paul defines in Ephesians 5:21-30 but rather the union Malachi defines in Malachi 2:14-16. It is committing violence against the one you made a covenant to love and protect and God says he will not longer accept their offerings but judge them.
Verse 11– he says to himself that ‘God will never notice; He covers his face and never sees.’ This mindset is wrong because God sees everything and He specifically mentions that he is witness to the violence done against the spouse (wife) of your youth by hating and divorcing them. The one whom you should protect. So therefore they cover their garments in violence.
Prayer Verses for Vindication.
This is an extract from David, a prayer and petition for defence and vindication from the enemy of his soul.
Psalm 10
Verse 12- arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless.
Verse 14- But you God see the trouble of the afflicted, you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you: you are the helper of the fatherless.
Verse 15- Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out.
Verse 17- You, Lord, hear the desires of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
Verse 18- Defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.
Please remember to connect with your local community and support group for prayers if you find your self in this situation. Sign up to all our social media pages and email. By doing this, you join our online community of believers. Together we will continue searching for God’s heart regarding relationships and strive to live the purpose-filled life He has called us to. You are not alone.
Summary
In this article, I uncover the characteristics of narcissism as described in Psalm 10 and connect them to biblical figures such as Jezebel, King Saul, and Lucifer. Narcissistic behavior isn’t just a psychological issue—it’s a spiritual problem with deep implications for our relationships and faith. I discuss how unresolved trauma, pride, and rebellion can lead to these destructive traits, entangling people in sin and disrupting their connection with God. If you’ve encountered narcissism in your life or relationships, I urge you to reflect on its impact and seek God’s guidance in breaking free from its hold.
I invite you to explore the tools and resources I’ve shared, including a free checklist to assess whether your marriage has become an idol, and powerful prayer verses for vindication and healing. These practical steps, combined with a biblical understanding, can help you find clarity and strength in your journey.
Don’t keep this message to yourself—share it with your friends and family to raise awareness and encourage them to seek freedom in Christ. Sign up for my newsletter to stay updated on new articles and resources that will equip you to navigate life with faith, wisdom, and courage. Together, we can transform lives and reclaim God’s purpose for us!
Further Action Points
1. Engage in Prayer and Reflection
Use the prayer verses from Psalm 10 provided in the article. Pray specifically for vindication, protection, and wisdom in navigating challenging relationships.
Reflect on your own life and relationships to identify any areas where narcissistic traits or influences might be present.
Consider whether there are individuals in your life who exhibit narcissistic traits, and pray for discernment on how to respond to them.
3. Set Healthy Boundaries
If you are in a narcissistic or toxic relationship, take steps to protect your emotional and spiritual well-being. This could include limiting interactions, seeking counseling, or finding trusted support in your church community.
Guard your heart and mind through daily prayer and Scripture reading, staying connected to God’s truth about your identity and worth.
4. Share the Message
Share this article with your friends, family, and church group to spread awareness about narcissism and its spiritual implications.
Discuss the article in your small group or Bible study to learn from others’ perspectives and experiences.
5. Stay Connected for Growth
Sign up for my newsletter to receive more insights, tools, and encouragement to help you grow in your faith and navigate life’s challenges.
Follow the blog and YouTube channel for additional resources, including upcoming articles on the signs of narcissistic relationships and how to break free from their hold.
6. Trust in God’s Power
Rely on God’s strength to overcome any struggles related to narcissism, whether in yourself or others. Remember that His power can transform lives and bring freedom to those who seek Him.
Meditate on Scriptures like Exodus 20:3 and Psalm 10 to reaffirm God’s sovereignty and His promises of justice and deliverance.
Taking these steps can help you gain clarity, protect your relationships, and deepen your connection with God as you navigate the challenges associated with narcissism.
Please share this article with anyone you think might benefit from it and don’t forget to share your experiences or thoughts related to narcissism.
Susan is a professional who works in business and organisational restructuring. However, over the past 6 years, she’s felt a heavy ministerial burden to reach the wounded through God’s word.
After being in an abusive relationship, she sought the face of the Lord concerning how to repurpose her pain for the benefit of God’s kingdom. She believes she has been called into a unique position to reach out to people, particularly those who find themselves in wrong relationships.
She wants you to know that God hears your prayers. He wants to encourage you to not give up or give in. He wants to heal the brokenhearted and restore you to your rightful place. He wants to bind up your wounds and strengthen you in His love and set you free.
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