Psalm 91:2; Proverbs 18:10
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): Here is God’s sufficiency for the saints: His name is a strong tower for them, in which they may take rest when they are weary and take sanctuary when they are pursued…The name of the Lord is all that whereby He has made Himself known as God, and our God, not only His titles and attributes, but His covenant and all the promises of it; these make up a tower, a strong tower, impenetrable, impregnable, for all God’s people…It is a strong tower to those who know how to make use of it as such. The righteous, by faith and prayer, devotion towards God and dependence on Him, run into it, as their city of refuge.
C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): There were cities of refuge under the law, God is our refuge-city under the gospel.
HENRY MELVILL (1798-1871): Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the LORD our God, Psalm 20:7. By the name of God is generally understood, in Holy Writ, the various properties and attributes of God: these properties and attributes make up and constitute the name of God. As when Solomon says, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and is safe.” And, by remembering, considering, meditating upon this name of God, the psalmist represents himself as comforted or strengthened, whatever might be the duties to which he was called, or the dangers to which he was exposed. Others were for looking to other sources of safety and strength, “some trusting in chariots, and some in horses;” but the psalmist always set himself to the remembering “the name of the Lord our God;” and always, it would seem, with satisfaction and success. And here is the peculiarity of the passage on which we wish to dwell, and from which we hope to draw important lessons and truths—the psalmist remembers the name of the LORD his God―not any one property or attribute of God; but the whole combination of divine perfections.
C. H. SPURGEON: The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble, Psalm 9:9. Ignorance is worst when it amounts to ignorance of God, and knowledge is best when it exercises itself upon the name of God. This most excellent knowledge leads to the most excellent grace of faith. O, to learn more of the attributes and character of God…And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee, verse 10. If we read this verse literally, there is, no doubt, a glorious fullness of assurance in the names of God…Put me in trouble, and if I can fold my arms and say, “Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord will provide,” you will not find me using a wrong means to escape from it.
THOMAS MANTON (1620-1677): The name of the Lord is a real refuge.
C. H. SPURGEON: By knowing His name is also meant an experimental acquaintance with the attributes of God, which are everyone of them anchors to hold the soul from drifting in seasons of peril. Turn then to the New Testament, and you discern that in Jesus of Nazareth dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily―Jesus reveals the name, the character, and the person of God―seeing Him, you have seen God.
MARTYN LLOYD-JONES (1899-1981): The gospel of Jesus Christ provides a refuge for us by enabling us to shelter in Him.
HUGH BINNING (1625-1654): Faith in Jesus Christ is the soul’s flight into the city of refuge.
D. L. MOODY (1837-1899): The cities of refuge are a ‘type’ of Christ, and their names are significant in that connection. Kadesh means holy, and our refuge is in the Holy Jesus; Shechem, a shoulder, and the government is upon his shoulder, Isaiah 9:6; Hebron, fellowship, and believers are called into the fellowship of Christ Jesus our Lord; Bezer, a fortification―He is a stronghold to all them that trust in Him; Raimoth, high, or exalted, for Him hath God exalted with his own right hand, Acts 5:31; Golan, joy, or exaltation, for in Him all the saints are justified and shall glory. As the cities of refuge were so situated as to be accessible from every part of the land, so Christ is ever accessible to needy sinners.
JOHN FLAVEL (1630-1691): The titles of Christ are so many motives or arguments fitted to persuade men to come unto Him.
RALPH ERSKINE (1685-1752): Do you need shelter? His name is the City of Refuge. Have you nothing and need all? His name is All in all.
MARTYN LLOYD-JONES: Here is the refuge! You’ve fled for refuge! Fled into Christ, hiding in Christ! There’s no other place of safety. He alone could conquer the devil! He alone mastered life in this world. He alone could stand before the weight of God’s holy condemnation of sin. And He’s done it! And if you’re in Him, you cannot be touched. “The terrors of law and God with me can have nothing to do, my Saviour’s obedience and blood hide all my transgressions from view.”
JAMES DURHAM (1622-1658): And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ, I John 3:23. There is no other name under heaven, whereby a sinner can be saved, but by the name of Jesus, Acts 4:12. He is the Door, the Way, the Truth and the Life, John 10:7; 14:6. All the promises of God are yea and amen in him, II Corinthians 1:20. There is a greater necessity to be [clear] in this, though a common truth, than folks think of.
MARTYN LLOYD-JONES: My dear friend, this is the first thing the gospel does, it provides us with a refuge―a refuge for the soul! Tell me, let me ask you in all seriousness, are you in it?―Have you fled to Christ?
ISAAC WATTS (1674-1748): Jesus, my God! I know His name, His name is all my trust;
Nor will He put my soul to shame, Nor let my hope be lost.
