Tower:
Eiffel Tower?
Sears Tower?
Leaning Tower of Pisa?
Somehow I don't think that's what God had in mind when he commissioned the Proverbs scribe to write The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe (18:10).
No, in those times, towers were a place of refuge, of security. No armies could defeat you. The walls were impenetrable. I picture men, women, families running to the tower - knowing that once they reach its stone wall they can rest and know they are completely secure.
I picture a modern storm cellar. Here in Oklahoma, it's the only real place I feel safe when the sirens of the city sound. Thunder crashing, lightning. If you're in the path of a tornado, the only thing stopping it from hitting you (other than Divine intervention, of course) is being underground.
Once, my husband and I heard the sirens and dove for the bathtub (if you live in the South, you'll understand). Pillows and blankets stuffed around us, we hoped the walls of the tub would keep us safe. Michael had his weed-eater helmet on and I doubled up the stuffing around myself. (I should also throw in that we put the dog in his kennel and the kennel in the cabinet under the bathroom sink - I'd hate for you not to have a clear picture).
When I want to feel completely safe in a literal storm, I want a cellar. No pillows or stuffing or helmets. Only a cellar will do. Living in Oklahoma during one of the worst tornadoes in the nation's history, I know that bathtubs and closets many times just hide the fact that a storm is outside. Often, it can't stop the storm from burrowing through.
So, while it's not very pretty, my version is
The name of the Lord is a storm cellar; the righteous run to it and are safe.
