Psalm 104:29

29 Thou hidest Thy face, they are troubled; Thou takest away their ruach, they expire, and return to their aphar.

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 These wait all upon Thee; that Thou mayest give them their ochel (food) in due season.

28 That Thou givest them they gather; Thou openest Thine yad, they are satisfied with tov.

29 Thou hidest Thy face, they are troubled; Thou takest away their ruach, they expire, and return to their aphar.

30 Thou sendest forth Thy Ruach [Hakodesh], they are created; and Thou renewest the face of adamah (earth).

31 The Kavod Hashem shall endure l’olam; Hashem shall rejoice in His ma’asim (works).