I was seated on the bleachers near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, waiting for friends to join me in cheering a group of runners, when the first explosion went off, literally diagonally across the street. A few seconds later, there was another explosion.
Immediately, I felt my heart and my thoughts hold on to the eternal promise of the 91st Psalm: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust” (verses 1, 2). At first, this was all I could think. I found myself repeating the familiar lines, very slowly, carefully thinking about the meaning of each word. Gradually, I gained comfort and strength from this prayer.
During those moments of uncertainty, when it was difficult to know where to physically turn for safety, I made a conscious choice to reject fear. In the moments after the explosions, I made a diligent effort to focus on my prayer, on the psalm, silently and even audibly affirming the allness of God’s eternal goodness and grace, despite the clouds of smoke and chaos.
