Prayer And The Poor Man

Προσευχὴ τῷ πτωχῷ ὅταν ἀκηδιάσῃ καὶ ἐναντίον κυρίου ἐκχέῃ τὴν δέησιν αὐτοῦ Πᾶς ὁ αἰτούμενός τι, οὐκ ἔχων ο αἰτεῖται ἐπὶ τῷ τυχεῖν τούτου ἐρχόμενος διὰ τῆς αἰτήσεως, πτωχός ἐστι. Πᾶς ου ν προσευχόμενος Θεῷ ἀγαθῶν αἰτεῖται μετουσίαν, ταύτην ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ ἔχειν οὐ δυνάμενος· ὅθεν καὶ πάντες πρὸς Θεὸν πτωχοί. Εἰ καὶ μέγας οὖν ἤν καὶ βασιλεὺς ὁ Δαυίδ, ἐν τοῖς ἐκ Θεοῦ διδομένοις πτωχὸς ἤν· ὅθεν γνοὺς ἑαυτὸν πολλῶν ἤ πάντων τῶν ἐκ Θεοῦ χορηγουμένων λειπόμενον ἀκηδίας ἀναπίμπλαται ὡς σφόδρα ἀθυμῆσαι. Ἐι τα μετὰ τὸ οὕτως διατεθῆναι ἐκχεῖ ἐνώπιον Κυρίου τὴν δέησιν αὐτοῦ, αἰτούμενος παρὰ τοῦ διδόντος τὰ ἀγαθὰ τοῖς αἰτοῦσιν αὐτόν. Ὁ γὰρ μὴ ταῦτα ἀλλὰ τὰ τῶν προσκαίρων αἰτῶν οὐκ ἔχει παρρησίαν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου ἐκχεῖν τὴν δέησιν αὐτοῦ δι' ἐμπαθῆ προαίρεσιν. ̔Η μὲν προσευχὴ τὴν ἱκετηρίαν δηλοῖ τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν καὶ τὴν παράκλησιν, ἡ δὲ δέησις τὴν αἴτησιν τὴν περὶ ὤν βούλεται αὐτῷ δεομένῳ παρασχεθῆναι. Ταῦτα δέ ἐστι τὰ κυρίως ἀγαθὰ α καὶ τῷ Θεῷ πρέπον διδόναι καὶ τοῖς αἰτοῦσι συμφέρει λαβεῖν. Εἴρηται δὲ ἤδη περὶ κραυγῆς τῶν ἁγίων ὑμνούντων Θεὸν καὶ εὐχομένων αὐτῷ μεγαλοφώνως, ο τι ἐστὶν οὐχ ἡ ἐν προφορᾷ ἀλλ' ἡ τῆς νοήσεως ἐπίτασις.  Δίδυμος Αλεξανδρεύς,, Εἰς Ψαλμους, Ψαλμος ΡΑ' Source: Migne PG 39 1516

A prayer for the poor man when he is troubled, and he pours out his plea before the Lord. 1 Every man who seeks something does not have that which he seeks, and so poor he is, by which comes the prayer. Every one then praying to God seeks to partake of goods which from himself he is not able to have. Whence all are poor before God. And if then David was great and a king, in seeking to be given things from God, he was poor, whence he knew himself, that the state of being left destitute of the many or everything which is supplied by God, fills him with worry so that his soul is downcast. Thus he pours out his prayer before the Lord, invoking Him who can give those goods for which he asks. For indeed he does not seek such things which perish, nor does he dare before the Lord pour out his prayer in a passion afflicted state. Praying to God should be supplication, and an invocation to aid, and the plea should be an asking for those things which God wishes to give to the poor. And these things are things which are flawlessly good, which it befits God to give, and which it benefits us to receive. Already I have spoken of the cries of the holy singing to God and praying with great voice, that it is not offered but with an intent mind. Didymus the Blind, Commentary on the Psalms, from Psalm 101 1 Ps 101.1