For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
Read Chapter 90
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
5. "For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday, which is past by" (ver. 4): hence we ought to turn to Thy refuge, where Thou art without any change, from the fleeting scenes around us; since however long a time may be wished for for this life, "a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday:" not as to-morrow, which is to come: for all limited periods of time are reckoned as having already passed. Hence the Apostle's choice is rather to aim at what is before, that is, to desire things eternal, and to forget things behind, by which temporal matters should be understood. But that no one may imagine a thousand years are reckoned by God as one day, as if with God days were so long, when this is only said in contempt of the extent of time: he adds, "and as a watch in the night:" which only lasts three hours. Nevertheless men have ventured to assert their knowledge of times, to the pretenders to which our Lord said, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons, which the F...
For, &. This thought naturally tends to convert the sinner.
Watch. Consisting of three hours, (Berthier) which were of unequal length, according to the seasons. (Calmet)
A thousand years seem not so long to God. (Haydock)
What then must be the short life of man? See Job vii. 8. (Calmet)
None ever lived one thousand years. Yet what would that be, compared with eternity? (Worthington)
