How is the name of the Lord a strong tower (Proverbs 18:10)?

The fool's mouth, his lips, the talebearer (whisperer), and the slothful are the themes of the proverbs in verses 6-9. Then we read "The Name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and is safe" (verse 10). The Name (Ha-Shem, in Hebrew) stands for Jehovah Himself. He is the place of refuge, of shelter, protection and safety for all who in faith turn to Him. In Him is our peace and safety. The Hebrew meaning of "is safe" is "set on high." Even so if we flee to Him and become His, we are exalted in Him, seated in Christ in heavenly places.

This, surely, is quite enough. We have nothing to do with consequences. These we may, in simple confidence, leave to Him whose we are and whom we are responsible to serve. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it, and is safe." If we are doing His will, we shall ever find His Name a strong tower. But, on the other hand, if we are not walking in a path of practical righteousness; if we are doing our own will; if we are living in the habitual neglect of the plain word of God, then verily it is utterly vain for us to think that the Name of the Lord will be a strong tower to us; rather would His Name be a reproof to us, leading us to judge our ways, and to return to the path of righteousness from which we have wandered.

What a resource in such dangers, and in all others, is the name of Jehovah! A strong tower truly, whither the righteous betakes himself and is secure (v. 10). For the enemy is still in power, and those who return to God need protection.

“But why do you think I have told you so much about the old castle and its keep? Just because the Lord Jesus is a strong tower to those who trust in Him. I have told you how all the weak things and all the precious things in that old castle were placed for safety in the keep, when fighting was going on outside. The verse I read from the Book of Proverbs says, ‘The name of the Lord is a strong tower,’ and the very first use I want you to make of the Saviour’s name is to trust it for your own salvation.

Still we may learn some of the characters of trust. It is not merely the knowledge that there is an Almighty God, who is above all things: the secret place of His true revelation of Himself must be known. This, true faith has, and confers with God there according to it. His name is revealed to faith. To us it is Christ as Lord, and the Father. Faith thus, in its confession of His name, makes its refuge and strong tower, and moreover trusts in it: a great thing, for no power of evil, no cause of distress can be anything to upset the mind, if the Lord be looked to and trusted in. It has here the promise of ever watchful and protecting care. This is true whatever outward evil may come.

Truly, "the name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe" (Prov. 18:10). And this unqualified promise is such an impregnable citadel for the timid believer. For the Good Shepherd herein pledges Himself and the honour of His glorious name that the very feeblest of the flock shall never by any possible means perish. So, speaking to His Father of the twelve, He says, "Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost (same Greek word) but the son of perdition" (John 17:12).

We rejoice in being limited to Him for the gracious making known of His Father’s Name. He manifested it to those who were given to Him out of the world. He preserved them in that Name when here on earth, and prayed, “Holy Father, keep through Thine own Name those whom Thou hast given Me.” If, as Proverbs 18:10 tells us, “The Name of Jehovah is a strong tower,” into which the righteous runs and is safe; the Name of the righteous Father, unknown by the world, is a dwelling of divine love, where there is safety truly, but also infinite riches of holy joy; for it is as risen in triumph from among the dead and ascended, the Lord Jesus brings His own into this today, and they rightly sing with heavenly gladness: “Now the Father’s name Thou tellest, joy is in Thine heart! In His love in which Thou dwellest we have part.”

But let us look, for a moment, at the result of Daniel's faithfulness. The king was plunged into the deepest grief when he discovered his mistake. "He was sore displeased with himself." So well he might. He had fallen into a snare; but Daniel was in good keeping. It was all right with him. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runs into it, and is safe." It matters not whether it be a lion's den at Babylon or a prison at Philippi, faith and a good conscience can make a man happy in either. We question if Daniel ever spent a happier night on this earth, than the night which he spent in the lions' den. He was there for God, and God was there with him. He was there with an approving conscience and an uncondemning heart. He could look up from the very bottom of that den straight into heaven, yea, that den was heaven upon earth to his happy spirit. Who would not rather be Daniel in the den than Darius in the palace? The one happy in God; the other "sore displeased with himself." Darius would have every one pray to him; Daniel would pray to none but God. Darius was bound by his own rash decree; Daniel was bound only by the word of the living God. What a contrast!

Now David had never stood thus at this hour if he had not learnt God as his God in secret. Therefore could he say, "Let no man's heart fail because of him;" and therefore could he thus meet Goliath. The name of the Lord must be our strength against every evil, whether without or within. Suppose the worst kind of evil, sin by a saint (and I trust that we all know that sin in a saint is far worse than sin in another), and what is our refuge? "For thy name's sake, Ο Lord, pardon mine iniquity, for it is great." You have only to put God in remembrance of His own name, and He will be jealous for that name. Thus faith can always use the name of the Lord as its strength against every foe. So that instead of there being pride in David's heart here, he was shrinking himself into nothing, and making God everything. His most confident words are his most humble ones. And is it not the name of Jesus that we have to set against every thing — against every trial, every anxiety, every enemy? Is it not this which God is teaching many souls in secret now? Leading them into a sense of pollution and weakness they never knew before — into trial they never knew before, in order that they may know the value of what they have in the cross? Not as though they had got everything, but to prove this in them and unite them.

The Name stands for the Person! How many wonderful Names does our Father have, and our blessed Lord and Master Jesus Christ! Books have been written about the significance of these Names! And every Name brings comfort and encouragement. “And they that know Thy Name will put their trust in Thee” (Ps. 9:10). “The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” (Prov. 18:10).