The narrative leading up to the crossing of the Red Sea is dramatic. The Yerushalmi Talmud explains that Bnei Yirsael arrived at the Red Sea and just like any Jewish crowd they began to argue as to what should be done. The pessimists argued this is hopeless so let’s just throw ourselves in the sea, the pragmatists proposed returning to Egypt, the brave young ones (probably the equivalent of hesder boys) said let’s fight and finally the pious (probably equivalent to charedim) decided it was time to pray.
The Talmud shows us that Moshe’s answers to these four groups are in the text of Ch14 v22. To the pessimists he said “stand firm and you will see Hashem’s salvation”, to the pragmatists who wanted to return he said “as you see the Egyptians today you will never see them again like this.” To the hesder boys he said “This time Hashem will fight for you” and to the charedim who were praying he said “keep quiet.”
Moshe was understandably in a dilemma as to how to handle the crisis and in the next verse Hashem tells him “don’t cry to me – tell Bnei Yisrael to get moving.” The Talmud comments that Moshe was praying to Hashem for help and Hashem tells him “now is not the time for long prayers, when Israel is in trouble.” R Meir Simcha in the Meshech Chochma notes this as the turning point for Bnei Yisrael, until now they followed Moshe, now Hashem telling Moshe to let the people take the lead and that Moshe follow them. The Midrash tells us that Nachshon Ben Aminadav from the tribe of Judah jumped in the water and then the Sea parted.
R Baruch Halevi Epstein notes that according to this Talmudic discussion in times of trouble one should act rather than say long prayers, but does that mean that when there is no trouble around one can spend a long time in prayers. I was in South Africa years ago and in the Shool where I prayed the Rabbi used to take a long time over his Amida. However he told his flock that they should not wait for him to finish. He explained that while waiting for him there was increasingly noisy chatting, and that he considered trouble.