In times of trouble men of faith had recourse to Prayer, and found therein a strength and tangible means of help. Sometimes when crises arose, they gathered with those who were like-minded and made communal approach unto He Who declared: "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." We append a few examples of such occasions:

Daniel faced with death: "Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions; that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon" (Dan. 2:17-18).

Asa when opposed by overwhelming odds: "And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power; help us, 0 Lord our God; for we rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go against this multitude. 0 Lord, Thou art our God; let not man prevail against Thee" (2 Chron. 14:11).

Jehoshaphat when Judah was invaded: "Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek God . . . and said, O Lord God of our fathers, are not Thou God in heaven? and rulest not Thou over all the kingdoms of the nations? and in Thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? Art not Thou our God, Who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before Thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham Thy friend for ever? And they dwelt therein, and have built Thee a sanctuary therein for Thy name, saying, If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in Thy presence, (for Thy name is in this house), and cry unto Thee in our affliction, then Thou wilt hear and help. And now, behold . . . O our God, wilt Thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do; but our eyes are upon thee" (2 Chron. 20:6-13).

Hezekiah faced with the blasphemous but powerful Sennacherib: "And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and went up unto the house of the Lord, and spread it before God. And Hezekiah prayed: O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the Cherubim, Thou art God, even Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: Thou hast made heaven and earth. Incline Thine ear, O Lord, and hear; open Thine eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib which hath sent to reproach the living God. Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries, and have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that Thou art God, even Thou only" (Isa. 37:14-20).

Notice, that in all these prayers of defence, the issues are plainly stated, others are drawn into the scope of the prayer, and specific requests are made. There is nothing vague in the words used; no vain repetition.