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I. THE LORD ALSO WILL BE A REFUGE FOR THE OPPRESSED.

1. What is a refuge? Shelter — in the cities of refuge; strongholds (2 Samuel 22:23); a harbour of refuge, as on a rocky, dangerous coast. Thus the leading idea is shelter. Now the Lord Jehovah as Father, Son, and Spirit is such refuge.

2. But who are the oppressed? Not only those who are oppressed in natural things, as many are; but in things spiritual. The heavy burden of sin. By Satan. Daily conflict with sin. Now the Lord is a refuge for such.

II. A REFUGE IN TIMES OF TROUBLE. The Scriptures always put together the malady and the remedy. As to these times of trouble, they are sometimes —

1. Seasons of temporal trouble;

2. Of spiritual trouble. These make us know that the Lord is our refuge, for we can find none elsewhere. There is no definition of what troubles, so that in all trouble we may claim this promise.

III. AND THEY THAT KNOW THY NAME WILL PUT THEIR TRUST IN THEE. The name means the revealed perfections of God. His eternal faithfulness. His loving kindness and tender mercy. His infinite wisdom. But who are they that know His name? They to whom the name of God has been revealed to their consciences. It is an experimental knowledge, and here is the grand line betwixt life and death.

IV. FOR THOU, LORD, HAST NOT FORSAKEN THEM THAT SEEK THEE. This takes in the poor, the halt, the lame, the little ones of God's family. In order to seeking God —

1. We must have a desire to find something; and then,

2. Know that God, from whom we seek what we would find.

(J. C. Philpot.)

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KJV: The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

WEB: Yahweh will also be a high tower for the oppressed; a high tower in times of trouble.