Father, I have recently read the Psalm when there are the words that you mention: “all men are liars”. And I would like to ask you a question: It’s already several times that I fix my attention on these words, and I came to the following conclusion – that these words carry the following connotation (for me): that people are not merely all liars, but that people are far from being ideal, that we just should not lay too many hopes in them, we should not set all our hopes upon them, idolize them. Otherwise we’ll undergo disillusionment in them, what may lead to our total disillusionment in life & people in general, undermine our positive perception of life. That we should not allow fascination, in order not to suffer disillusionment. As when idols fall, it hurts+These words tell me not that people tell lies constantly (though many do:-)), but that they do not correspond to our conception of them, and thus we cannot demand or expect too much from them. And we become, at times bitterly, deceived in our expectations… Especially it becomes clear to us when something sharp or severe happens to us, and we find us standing alone, with only God supporting us. Not because all people are indifferent to our grief (though at times it is so), but because there are such moments of truth in our lives when nobody can help, as it is beyond people’s capacity+.

Can you please explain to me whether it is possible to understand these words as I do, or it is incorrect?

Thank you so much in advance.

Blessings,

Natalia
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Father, thank you! Your words evoked some tiny strings of my soul+I also, to the extent that is possible for me, got the significance & meaning of reading the Psalter regularly, as well as the Gospel. And each time you make a new discovery, your heart responds to a new episode, words, or you find a new meaning in the words that you heard already hundreds of times. And I read the Psalter when I am in despair, or sadness, or any unpleasant event took place. It’s really a treasure & a great consolation, and evidently clarifies, lightens my brains. I always found myself in blessed bewilderment when I found in saint books the states or thoughts that I felt myself, and when some wise, genius saint person reveals the truth that I have also already new, or felt, but could not express in words. Especially I notice it when I read the works of St Bishop Ignaty Brianchaninov, or Metropolital Antony of Surozh. It’s like separate pieces of mosaic, or a fragment of mosaic screen, that some artist comes & creates a wonderful picture! At such moments I tend to exclaim: “Wow, this is my thought, this is how I feel, this is what I understood, having passed through my whole life & having learned something at least!” And I am astonished how a person, who lived so long ago, whom I never knew, might have had so similar feelings & life perception+ Maybe it is too defiant to say so from my side+The Psalter produces the same effect. It really brings life & clarity. Thank you, Father, for bringing us a new wave of the fresh, life-asserting water of the Psalter!

Father, I have recently read the Psalm when there are the words that you mention: “all men are liars”. And I would like to ask you a question: It’s already several times that I fix my attention on these words, and I came to the following conclusion – that these words carry the following connotation (for me): that people are not merely all liars, but that people are far from being ideal, that we just should not lay too many hopes in them, we should not set all our hopes upon them, idolize them. Otherwise we’ll undergo disillusionment in them, what may lead to our total disillusionment in life & people in general, undermine our positive perception of life. That we should not allow fascination, in order not to suffer disillusionment. As when idols fall, it hurts+These words tell me not that people tell lies constantly (though many do:-)), but that they do not correspond to our conception of them, and thus we cannot demand or expect too much from them. And we become, at times bitterly, deceived in our expectations… Especially it becomes clear to us when something sharp or severe happens to us, and we find us standing alone, with only God supporting us. Not because all people are indifferent to our grief (though at times it is so), but because there are such moments of truth in our lives when nobody can help, as it is beyond people’s capacity+.

Can you please explain to me whether it is possible to understand these words as I do, or it is incorrect?

Thank you so much in advance.

Blessings, Natalia
This comment is posted with permission from The St Nicholas email list: http://groups.google.com/group/saint-nicholas-orthodox-church