Psalm 104 29

Psalm 104:29 kjv

Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

Psalm 104:29 nkjv

You hide Your face, they are troubled; You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.

Psalm 104:29 niv

When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.

Psalm 104:29 esv

When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.

Psalm 104:29 nlt

But if you turn away from them, they panic.
When you take away their breath,
they die and turn again to dust.

Psalm 104 verses

Psalm 104 29 Meaning

Psalm 104:29 articulates the profound dependence of all creation on the continuous, life-sustaining presence of God. It declares that when the Divine withdraws His face or presence, creatures are immediately seized by terror or dismay. Furthermore, if He chooses to reclaim or take back their breath, which is the very essence of life, they die and revert to the dust from which they originated. This verse underscores God's absolute sovereignty over life and death, presenting Him as the sole source and ultimate terminator of all animate existence, emphasizing the utter fragility and contingency of creaturely life apart from His continuous impartation.

Psalm 104 29 Context

Psalm 104 is a magnificent hymn that extols God as the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of the entire cosmos, paralleling themes found in Genesis 1 and Job. It is structured as a detailed meditation on God's wise and powerful ordering of creation. The psalm moves from the heavens (v. 2-4), to the earth's foundations and water systems (v. 5-13), to the provision for flora, fauna, and humanity (v. 14-23). It marvels at the abundance of creatures in the sea (v. 24-26).

Verse 29 specifically follows a section that describes God's ongoing provision for all living things: "These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things" (v. 27-28). Verse 29 provides a stark contrast and crucial counterbalance to this bountiful provision, highlighting that this generous sustenance is entirely dependent on God's continued engagement. It reminds the reader that the same hand that provides is also the hand that can withdraw, leading to immediate cessation of life. This shifts the focus from the vibrant, living world to the profound vulnerability of all creation, emphasizing the immeasurable power and sovereignty of the Creator over every breath and existence.

Psalm 104 29 Word analysis

• Thou hidest thy face (תַּסְתִּיר פָּנֶיךָ - tastir paneikha):
  • תַּסְתִּיר (tastir): Hiphil imperfect of סָתַר (satar), meaning "to hide," "conceal," "withdraw." The Hiphil emphasizes active causation, that God causes His face to be hidden.
  • פָּנֶיךָ (paneikha): "Your face" or "Your presence." In Hebrew thought, the "face" often symbolizes a person's presence, favor, attention, or manifestation of being. For God to "hide His face" signifies a withdrawal of His benevolent presence, favor, or life-giving sustenance, leading to despair, abandonment, or, as here, a cessation of vital operations. This concept recurs in Scripture, indicating judgment or a perceived lack of divine help.
• they are troubled/terrified (יִבָּהֵלוּן - yibbahelun):
  • יִבָּהֵלוּן (yibbahelun): Niphil imperfect of בָּהַל (bahal), meaning "to be disturbed," "dismayed," "terrified," "thrown into confusion," or "to panic suddenly." The Niphil suggests an action that happens to them, indicating their helplessness and the profound, sudden impact of God's withdrawal. It captures a visceral reaction of fear and disorder that accompanies the divine withdrawal, leading directly to the ultimate outcome.
• thou takest away their breath (תֶּאָסֵף רוּחָם - te'asef rucham):
  • תֶּאָסֵף (te'asef): Qal imperfect of אָסַף (asaf), "to gather," "to take away," "to collect." Here, it means to recall or gather back what was given. This portrays God's direct action in terminating life, not merely passively allowing it to end.
  • רוּחָם (rucham): "Their spirit" or "their breath." The Hebrew word ruach has a wide semantic range, including "wind," "spirit," and "breath." In the context of living beings, ruach specifically denotes the "breath of life" (Gen 2:7), the animating principle, or life-force bestowed by God. Taking away ruach is synonymous with death, highlighting that life is a transient gift, not an inherent possession.
• they die (יִגְוָעוּן - yigva'un):
  • יִגְוָעוּן (yigva'un): Qal imperfect of גָּוַע (gava), meaning "to expire," "to die," "to breathe one's last." This is a straightforward declaration of the consequence of God taking away ruach.
• and return to their dust (וְאֶל־עֲפָרָם יְשׁוּבוּן - ve'el-afaram yeshuvun):
  • וְאֶל־עֲפָרָם (ve'el-afaram): "And to their dust." עָפָר (afar) means "dust," "earth," "soil." This directly echoes Gen 2:7 ("formed man of dust from the ground") and Gen 3:19 ("for you are dust, and to dust you shall return"), emphasizing the created origin and the ultimate, inevitable dissolution of the physical body. It serves as a reminder of creaturely humility and frailty.
  • יְשׁוּבוּן (yeshuvun): Qal imperfect of שׁוּב (shuv), "to return," "to turn back." This signifies the complete reversal of the life-giving process, completing the cycle of dust to life and back to dust.

Psalm 104 29 Bonus section

The active verbs "hidest," "takest away," "die," and "return" emphasize the dynamic and decisive role of God. He is not a passive observer but the ultimate governor of the cosmic dance of life and death. The contrast with verses 27-28, where God "gives" and "opens His hand," is stark and deliberate, creating a powerful rhythm of divine bestowal and divine recall. This illustrates not a fickle God, but one whose ongoing creative work encompasses both the granting and the taking of life, demonstrating His complete lordship over the life cycle. The brevity of the transition from "terror" to "dust" highlights the immediacy of creation's cessation when God withdraws, underscoring the vital, constant need for His sustaining hand.

Psalm 104 29 Commentary

Psalm 104:29 is a profound theological statement nestled within a hymn celebrating God's creation and providential care. After depicting God's vast and benevolent provisions that sustain life for all creatures, this verse introduces the sobering truth that such existence is utterly contingent upon God's will and presence. It reveals a two-fold divine action: first, the withdrawal of His "face" or favorable presence, which instills immediate terror and a breakdown of function in living beings; second, the removal of "their breath," the life-force He imparted, leading directly to death. The concluding phrase, "and return to their dust," ties all animate life back to its humble origins as recorded in Genesis, emphasizing the transient nature of material existence without divine sustaining power.

This verse serves as a crucial theological anchor, counteracting any notion of independent life within creation. It explicitly states that God does not merely initiate life and then leave it to run its course; rather, He actively sustains every moment of it. Life is portrayed not as an inherent property of matter but as a continuous gift from the Creator. The "hiding of face" symbolizes a deliberate withdrawal of sustaining power or favor, demonstrating God's ultimate authority. This understanding powerfully critiques ancient pagan worldviews that often attributed creation or sustenance to impersonal forces or multiple deities. In contrast, the psalmist asserts the singular, absolute sovereignty of Yahweh, whose creative act is indistinguishable from His continuous sustaining presence. There is no force independent of Him that governs life or death. Thus, humanity and all creation are called to acknowledge absolute dependence on God, fostering humility and true reverence.

Practically, this verse reminds believers:

• Humility: All life is a gift, not a right or an inherent power. Our existence is fleeting and utterly dependent on God's active will.
• Reverence: God's power over life and death inspires awe and compels worship, for He is the absolute Lord of all.
• Trust: If God sustains every creature's breath, how much more does He care for and know His redeemed people (cf. Matt 6:26)?