“What profit is there in my blood if I go down to the pit? Will the dust thank You? Will it declare Your truthfulness? Hear, O Lord, and pardon me.”
Concerning “dust,” it is when one is under the governance of the will to receive, which is regarded as “dust.” Adam HaRishon was born with this quality, but he was “dust off the earth.” It is explained in the Sulam [Ladder commentary on The Zohar] that “earth” means Bina, which is the quality of bestowal.
When he corrupted the quality of bestowal, he fell back into being dust. It is called “dust” because the Tzimtzum [restriction] took place there, and no abundance of Kedusha [holiness] is drawn in there. This is why we taste there only the taste of dust in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments].
Hence, the correction is to take upon himself once more the quality of bestowal. However, it is not within man’s power to do so, as it is against his nature. For this reason, we say, “Hear, O Lord, and pardon me.”
“Pardoning” means as our sages said, “Although he is unworthy or deserving,” which is called “And I will pardon that which I will pardon.” That is, we ask the Creator to give us this power although we cannot make this power.
This is the meaning of the verse, “Lord, be my helper,” as our sages said, “Were it not for the help of the Creator, he would not overcome it.”
And all we can give is prayer.