Proverbs 18:1-16: a reflection

1A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment. 2A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion. 3When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, and with shame comes disgrace. 4The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook. 5To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice. 6A fool’s lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings. 7A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a snare to his soul. 8The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person’s innermost parts. 9One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction. 10The LORD’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe. 11The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination. 12Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before honor is humility. 13He who answers before he hears, that is folly and shame to him. 14A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear? 15The heart of the discerning gets knowledge. The ear of the wise seeks knowledge. 16A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.

Among these proverbs is a picture of God as a refuge to run to for safety: The LORD's name is a strong tower; the righteous run to him, and are safe. The LORD's name is a strong tower, the proverb says; the righteous run to it, and are safe. In the ancient world, a strong tower was a place of refuge, where people fled for safety when danger came. So, the proverb says, is the name of the LORD: a strong tower, a refuge, to which the righteous run and find safety. When danger or trouble comes, we have a refuge to run to, not a place but a person, the LORD himself, whose name is a strong tower. This shows that God is our refuge, a strong tower we can run to for safety. God's name is a strong tower; run to him and be safe. God is our refuge in trouble; run to him. When danger comes, we have a refuge to run to in God. The Lord is a strong tower for those who run to him.

Notice the image and its comfort. A strong tower, in a fortified city, was a place of refuge and safety; when enemies attacked or danger came, people would run to the tower and be safe within its strong walls. The proverb says the name of the LORD, the LORD himself, is such a strong tower for his people. When trouble comes, when we are afraid, threatened, or in danger, we have a refuge to run to: not a place, but the LORD himself, whose name is a strong tower. The righteous run to him and are safe. This is a comfort for us. We are not left without refuge when danger or trouble comes; we have God himself as our strong tower, to whom we can run for safety. When we are afraid or threatened, we can run to God, take refuge in him, find safety in him as in a strong tower. He is a refuge that cannot be breached, a safety that does not fail. We do well, when trouble comes, to run to God our strong tower, rather than trying to face it in our own strength or looking for lesser refuges. God is our strong tower; run to him for safety when trouble comes. We have a refuge in God that cannot be breached. When afraid, run to God, your strong tower, and be safe. Do not face danger in your own strength; run to God your refuge.

That is worth resting in, for God is our strong tower, a refuge we can run to for safety when trouble comes, as the righteous run to the LORD and are safe. We can face danger and trouble in our own strength, or look for lesser refuges, and be left unsafe; but the LORD's name is a strong tower, and the righteous run to him and are safe. God is our refuge. When you are afraid or threatened, run to God, your strong tower, and find safety in him. Rest in the truth that God is our strong tower, a refuge we can run to for safety when trouble comes, as the proverb says the LORD's name is a strong tower and the righteous run to it and are safe; for in the ancient world a strong tower was a place of refuge where people fled for safety when danger came, and so is the name of the LORD, the LORD himself, a strong tower and refuge for his people, so that when trouble comes, when we are afraid, threatened, or in danger, we have a refuge to run to, not a place but a person, God himself, and the righteous run to him and are safe, a refuge that cannot be breached and a safety that does not fail, so that when danger or trouble comes we do well to run to God our strong tower rather than facing it in our own strength or looking for lesser refuges, taking refuge in him and finding safety in him as in a strong tower.

Lord, among these proverbs is a picture of you as a refuge to run to for safety: The LORD's name is a strong tower; the righteous run to him, and are safe. In the ancient world, a strong tower was a place of refuge, where people fled for safety when danger came. So, the proverb says, is your name: a strong tower, a refuge, to which the righteous run and find safety. When danger or trouble comes, I have a refuge to run to, not a place but a person, you yourself, whose name is a strong tower. Show me the image and its comfort. A strong tower, in a fortified city, was a place of refuge and safety; when enemies attacked or danger came, people would run to the tower and be safe within its strong walls. The proverb says you yourself are such a strong tower for your people. When trouble comes, when I am afraid, threatened, or in danger, I have a refuge to run to: not a place, but you, whose name is a strong tower. The righteous run to you and are safe. This is a comfort for me. I am not left without refuge when danger or trouble comes; I have you as my strong tower, to whom I can run for safety. You are a refuge that cannot be breached, a safety that does not fail. Let me rest in that, for you are my strong tower, a refuge I can run to for safety when trouble comes. When I am afraid or threatened, keep me from facing it in my own strength or looking for lesser refuges; help me run to you, Lord, my strong tower, and find safety in you, taking refuge in you as the righteous run to you and are safe.