Proverbs 18:10
In a world marked by constant instability—economic uncertainty, cultural confusion, personal crises, and spiritual attack—everyone runs somewhere when pressure rises. Some run to money, others to reputation, politics, relationships, distractions, or even religion without relationship. But Proverbs 18:10 gives us a different direction: “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.” That single verse answers two critical questions for every generation: Where should we run? And what happens when we do?
First, we are told to run to the name of the Lord. In Hebrew thought, a name is far more than a label; it represents character, reputation, authority, and revealed nature. God’s name is who He is. When God proclaimed His own name in Exodus 34:5–7, He declared Himself merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. His name reveals His mercy, grace, patience, covenant love, faithfulness, justice, and holiness. To run to His name is to run to His revealed character. John Calvin rightly said, “The name of God is nothing else than the knowledge of Him.” You cannot run to a God you do not know. When fear rises, we run to His sovereignty. When guilt overwhelms, we run to His mercy. When confusion clouds our thinking, we run to His wisdom. When weakness exposes us, we run to His strength. As Psalm 20:7 reminds us, some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. The righteous do not run to substitutes; they run to the Savior.
Proverbs goes on to describe that name as “a strong tower.” In the ancient world, fortified towers were places of last defense—elevated above enemies, surrounded by thick walls, and nearly impossible to breach. A tower was not decorative; it was defensive. The word “strong” carries the idea of being high, inaccessible, secure, and fortified. This is not a tent or a fragile fence. It is a fortress. Charles Spurgeon said, “The Lord Himself is the citadel of His people.” God’s character is not fragile. His mercy does not crumble. His promises do not weaken. Psalm 61:3 echoes the same truth: “For You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.” What makes this tower strong? His immutability—He does not change (Malachi 3:6). His omnipotence—nothing overpowers Him (Jeremiah 32:17). His faithfulness—He never fails (Lamentations 3:22–23). His sovereignty—nothing escapes His rule (Daniel 4:35). Our safety rests in who He is, not in who we are.
The verse then shifts from who God is to how we respond: “the righteous run into it.” Notice the urgency. It does not say they stroll, admire, or casually consider the tower. They run. Running implies urgency, dependence, intentional movement, and awareness of danger. When ancient cities were threatened, people did not debate their options—they ran. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said, “The essence of the Christian position is to realize that there is nowhere else to go.” The righteous recognize their danger, their weakness, and their need. Running to the Lord looks like prayer, trust, repentance, clinging to His promises, and resting fully in Christ. Hebrews 6:18 describes believers as those who have “fled for refuge.” The tower stands available to all, but only the righteous run into it. And who are the righteous? Not the self-righteous or moral achievers, but those justified by faith (Romans 5:1). We run because we belong.
Finally, the promise: “and are safe.” The Hebrew idea is to be set on high, lifted above danger, beyond reach. Safety does not mean the absence of trouble; it means security in the midst of it. Psalm 46:1 declares that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble—not merely after trouble, but in it. We may still face storms, but we are secure within them. This proverb ultimately finds its fullest expression in Jesus Christ. Colossians 3:3 says, “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Hidden. Lifted. Secured. Spurgeon observed, “Faith makes us see that our safety lies not in the absence of danger, but in the presence of God.” Jesus Himself promised in John 10:28, “No one will snatch them out of My hand.” That is strong tower language.
The question, then, is not whether you are running. Everyone runs somewhere. The question is where you are running. Money will crumble. Health will fade. People will fail. Institutions will collapse. But the name of the Lord stands forever. Psalm 9:10 says, “And those who know Your name put their trust in You.” Do you know His name? Are you running to Him daily, or only in crisis? The righteous do not merely visit the tower; they live in its shadow.
The ultimate revelation of the name of the Lord is Jesus. Philippians 2:9 tells us that God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name. In Christ we see the mercy of God embodied, the grace of God revealed, the faithfulness of God proven, and the justice of God satisfied. At the cross, justice and mercy met. The tower opened, and the door was made. So run to Christ—not casually, not eventually, but now.
When danger rises, the righteous do not panic. They run to the unchanging character of an unshakable God and find unassailable security.