Many people want to live a long time. Doctors are in the business of helping people live longer. Some scientists are researching treatments and medicines that will help people live longer.
No matter how long a person lives, it is a very short time compared to eternity. God is eternal. He will never die. In fact, he created time. He has always existed. He existed when there was no time, and he will exist when time ends.
Psalm 90 is supposed to have been written by Moses. In this psalm, Moses talks about the insignificance of man’s life compared to God. This briefness of life should impress on each person that obedience to God is very important.
In verse 4, Moses says that a thousand years is like yesterday to God. In verse 10, Moses says that the average age of death for man in his time was 70 years and if fortunate it was 80 years.
In verse 5, Moses says God carries away man as with a flood. This is interesting. In another instance where the 1000-year time period is mentioned, the Flood is part of the context. In 2 Peter 3, Peter is telling those who say things have never changed that they are wrong. The world was destroyed by the Flood. He says that with God 1000 years is no different than a day.
It is possible that Moses and Peter are referring to a biblical character though not mentioning his name. The oldest man who ever lived died in the year of the Flood. Methuselah lived to be 969 years old. We are not told but it is possible that he died during the Flood. But even if he did not, he died in that same year before the Flood.
In Psalm 90, Moses is likely stating that whether you live as old as Methuselah or you live an average lifespan, your life will still end. So, as he states in verse 12, we each should number our days and apply ourselves to get wisdom.
Study your Bible. Learn all you can about God’s will. Obey God. Get the wisdom of God, so that no matter how long you live you will be close to God in this life and the life after.
