I was singing the hymn O God Our Help in Ages Past today in Church, and noticed something interesting.
The fifth verse reads as follows:
Time, like an ever rolling stream, bears all who breathe away;
they fly forgotten, as a dream dies at the opening day.
Now I had always half-jokingly assumed this was some sports reference, as "opening day" to me means the first day of the season for an athletic league. However, I noticed that the words here are credited to Isaac Watts in the early 1700's. This is before any organized sporting leagues I know of.
Given that, I'm at a loss. What the heck is he getting when he says "opening day" here?