Twenty-five years ago, Judith and I were living three short blocks south of the Twin Towers in Downtown Manhattan. I had received an invitation from Timothy Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian New York City, to set up a gospel-focused Anglican Church to complement the ministry of Redeemer in the city. 

On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, we had awakened to see clear blue skies and the sparkling waters of New York Harbor. But it was not to last. We felt the shock in our building when the first tower was hit from the north. We heard the scream of the second jet flying low overhead and what sounded like a sonic boom when the south tower was hit. Later that day when we left our building, the inches of dust and paper was eerie and the silence was palpable. 

It’s easy for everyone, including God’s people, to forget the evil that cut short the lives of people going about their daily affairs. Commercial airliners were used as missiles to crash into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. A further flight was intended for more destruction but was thwarted by the selfless heroic efforts of passengers. People on that flight prayed the Lord’s Prayer as the plane crashed. 

The nations are in uproar, the kingdoms totter… However, God has the last word,

In the Wall Street Bible talks I was giving at the time, I spoke on Psalm 46 which opens with the theme of the unchanging God who is our refuge and strength. Verses 2 and 3 exhort us not to fear, even if the world around us is undone, for God remains supreme over every facet of his creation – the earth, the mountains, and the seas. 

Moving from the upheaval of the material world to human turmoil, verse 6 speaks of the instability of evil and human tumult: The nations are in uproar, the kingdoms totter… However, God has the last word, for when he utters his voice, the earth melts. Verse 7 is so reassuring: The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.  The Lord of hosts points to the mighty armies of heaven to which Jesus alluded when he was arrested (Matthew 26:53). 

Be still! Verses 8 and 9 are an invitation to catch the vision of God’s ultimate intention – to make wars to cease to the end of the earth. It is a picture of the perfect peace that will follow on the other side of God’s judgement – the accounting that precedes the perfect righteousness of the new heaven and the new earth (2 Peter 3:12f).

The command ‘Be still’ is not so much a word of comfort to God’s people under duress but a command to every nation. Jesus’ words to the turbulent winds and waters on the Sea of Galilee, “Peace. Be still”illustrates the power of God’s Word (Mark 4:39-41). Mind-bending though the idea is, at God’s command the nations will be called to order, confronted by his supreme and glorious power: “Know that I am God! I will be exalted among the nations … and in the earth” (46:10). 

It is through the lens of the New Testament we begin to learn how God’s people should respond to the evil of the world.

In the closing words of the psalm, the confidence in God in verse 1 returns with greater power: The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge – our high stronghold! 

It is through the lens of the New Testament we begin to learn how God’s people should respond to the evil of the world. Jesus commands us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us “so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:44f). This will include prayer for opportunities to promote God’s good news. In Romans chapter 12, verse 17 we read: Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all… 

None of this means that justice won’t occur. Paul continues: Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”  To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 

In the midst of the chaos and evil of this present time, Christ calls on us to put aside anger and rage, vengeance and violence, for the day of perfect justice will come.

John Mason is the Founding Rector, now retired, of Christ Church (Anglican) NYC and what is now Emmanuel Anglican Church NYC. This is adapted from his weekly, ‘Word on Wednesday’.