Psalm 104:29

29 You ¹hide Your face, they are dismayed; You ²take away their spirit, they expire And ³return to their dust.

Psalm 104:29 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 104:29

Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled
God may be said to hide his face from the creatures when he withholds their food from them, when there is a scarcity of provisions, a famine in the land; when there is no pasture for them to feed on, nor brooks of water to drink of; then are they troubled or perplexed, as in ( Joel 1:18 Joel 1:20 ) and know not what to do, nor where to go for help, but faint, and sink, and die. So in a spiritual sense when God hides his face from his people, removes his Shechinah, or divine Majesty and Presence, as the Targum here; and withdraws the influences of his grace and Spirit; or when they have no food for their souls, or what they have is not blessed, then are they troubled, ( Psalms 30:7 ) .

Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust;
their original dust, from whence they sprung, as man himself does; the breath of all is from the Lord; he gives it to his creatures, and when he pleases he takes it away; and when he does, they die and become dust again.

Psalm 104:29 In-Context

27 They all wait for You To give them their food in due season.

28 You give to them, they gather it up; You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.

29 You hide Your face, they are dismayed; You take away their spirit, they expire And return to their dust.

30 You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the ground.

31 Let the glory of the LORD endure forever; Let the LORD be glad in His works;

Cross References

• 1. Deuteronomy 31:17; Psalms 30:7
• 2. Job 34:14, 15; Psalms 146:4; Ecclesiastes 12:7
• 3. Genesis 3:19; Job 10:9; Psalms 90:3

Footnotes

• [a] Or "breath"