"The Words You’ll Need When You Can’t Think Straight" (Psalms 34) - Daily Manna - 02/04/26

What do you reach for when you can’t think straight?

Psalm 34 was written in one of the lowest moments of David’s life—on the run, humiliated, hiding in a cave, surrounded by people who were broken and bitter. And yet, instead of explaining his circumstances, David reaches for words he already knows. Not answers. Not clarity. Foundations.

This teaching walks through Psalm 34 as the Aleph-Tav (ABC’s) of faith—words God gives us before the crisis so they’re available inside the crisis. It’s a reminder that when fear is loud and thinking is hard, faith doesn’t begin with understanding—it begins with choosing what you will say, where you will look, and where you will hide.

If you’re in a cave season—overwhelmed, confused, faithful but worn down—this Psalm gives you the words you’ll need to hold onto until clarity returns.

Key themes:

• Faith when clarity is gone

• Praise as an anchor, not a feeling

• God’s nearness to the brokenhearted

• What to say when fear is loud

• Taking refuge in the Lord

📖 Psalm 34 | 1 Samuel 21–22