In his book, The Restless Heart (2004), Ronald Rolheiser shares with us St. Augustine's thought on loneliness, saying, "God wants us to live inside the divine life, and so God placed within us a strong erotic thirst, a loneliness, that forces us to constantly yearn for God ..." (p 112). Remember St Augustine's famous words - "You have made us for Yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in You?" This is clearly brought out today in the prayer of the Psalmist, "O God, You are my God, for You I long; for You my soul is thirsting. My body pines for You like a dry, weary land without water.'"

In the early church, Psalm 63 was prescribed for daily public prayers. St Chrysostom (c349-407, Archbishop of Constantinople) says, "That it was decreed and ordained by the early fathers, that no day should pass without the public singing of this Psalm." Why? Is it because the church wanted to encourage the people of God, to keep alive this longing, this thirst, so that in this longing, in this thirst, they will be filled? How? The Psalmist says, "filled as with a banquet," filled knowing God's "love is better than life."

Today, as we meditate on Psalm 63, may we know that in our times of loneliness and need, God will be there for us.