Life throws us curve balls that can leave us feeling overwhelmed, broken, and completely desperate. When the pressure mounts, it's easy to retreat into worry or paralysis. But for the person of faith, desperate times are not a signal to give up; they are a clear call to desperate prayer. It is in these moments of greatest need that we discover the power and comfort of crying out to the Lord with full abandon.
This reality is beautifully captured in the book of Psalms, a powerful testament to raw, honest, and desperate faith. A perfect example is Psalm 34, a song attributed to David when he was at a low point—forced to feign madness to escape his enemies. Samuel 21:10-15). If anyone knew desperation, it was him.
1 Samuel 21:10-15 ESV [10] And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. [11] And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?” [12] And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. [13] So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. [14] Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? [15] Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”
David's experience teaches us that our lowest points can become launchpads for our most profound encounters with God. When we are at our wits' end, we have nowhere to look but up. This aligns perfectly with the foundation of faith we seek to maintain: in our weakness, His strength is made perfect.
2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV[9] But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Let the full text of Psalm 34 encourage you to turn your current struggle into a desperate, faith-filled prayer:
Psalm 34:1-22 ESV [1] I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. [2] My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. [3] Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! [4] I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. [5] Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. [6] This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. [7] The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. [8] Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! [9] Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! [10] The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. [11] Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. [12] What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? [13] Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. [14] Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. [15] The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. [16] The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. [17] When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. [18] The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. [19] Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. [20] He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. [21] Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. [22] The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Turning Desperation into DeliveranceNotice the transition in the Psalm. David starts with a commitment to praise (v. 1-3), recalling his personal deliverance (v. 4-7), and then uses his experience to call others to the same faith (v. 8-10). The core promise for anyone in a desperate situation is this.
Psalm 34:6 ESV This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.
When you feel crushed in spirit, remember.
Psalm 34:18 ESV The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
The fact that the Lord is near is what transforms desperate circumstances. It is not our eloquence, but our sincere cry that He answers.
Lamentations 3:55-57 tells us to not just whisper, but to shout from the depths of our troubles.
Lamentations 3:55-57 ESV [55] “I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit; [56] you heard my plea, ‘Do not close your ear to my cry for help!’ [57] You came near when I called on you; you said, ‘Do not fear!’
Desperate times demand desperate faith—a faith that shouts, even when the heart is broken. and sometimes that process starts with a simple, desperate plea. Don't hide your pain; use it as fuel for the most powerful prayers you will ever pray.
This reality is beautifully captured in the book of Psalms, a powerful testament to raw, honest, and desperate faith. A perfect example is Psalm 34, a song attributed to David when he was at a low point—forced to feign madness to escape his enemies. Samuel 21:10-15). If anyone knew desperation, it was him.
1 Samuel 21:10-15 ESV [10] And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. [11] And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?” [12] And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. [13] So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. [14] Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? [15] Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”
David's experience teaches us that our lowest points can become launchpads for our most profound encounters with God. When we are at our wits' end, we have nowhere to look but up. This aligns perfectly with the foundation of faith we seek to maintain: in our weakness, His strength is made perfect.
2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV[9] But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Let the full text of Psalm 34 encourage you to turn your current struggle into a desperate, faith-filled prayer:
Psalm 34:1-22 ESV [1] I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. [2] My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. [3] Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! [4] I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. [5] Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. [6] This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. [7] The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. [8] Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! [9] Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! [10] The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. [11] Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. [12] What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? [13] Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. [14] Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. [15] The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. [16] The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. [17] When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. [18] The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. [19] Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. [20] He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. [21] Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. [22] The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Turning Desperation into DeliveranceNotice the transition in the Psalm. David starts with a commitment to praise (v. 1-3), recalling his personal deliverance (v. 4-7), and then uses his experience to call others to the same faith (v. 8-10). The core promise for anyone in a desperate situation is this.
Psalm 34:6 ESV This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.
When you feel crushed in spirit, remember.
Psalm 34:18 ESV The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
The fact that the Lord is near is what transforms desperate circumstances. It is not our eloquence, but our sincere cry that He answers.
Lamentations 3:55-57 tells us to not just whisper, but to shout from the depths of our troubles.
Lamentations 3:55-57 ESV [55] “I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit; [56] you heard my plea, ‘Do not close your ear to my cry for help!’ [57] You came near when I called on you; you said, ‘Do not fear!’
Desperate times demand desperate faith—a faith that shouts, even when the heart is broken. and sometimes that process starts with a simple, desperate plea. Don't hide your pain; use it as fuel for the most powerful prayers you will ever pray.
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