Psalms 104:29

29 When you turn your face away from them, they are terrified. When you take away their breath, they die and turn back into dust.

Psalms 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.

Psalms 104:29 In-Context

27 All of those creatures depend on you to give them their food when they need it.

28 When you give it to them, they eat it. When you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.

29 When you turn your face away from them, they are terrified. When you take away their breath, they die and turn back into dust.

30 When you send your Spirit, you create them. You give new life to the earth.

31 May the glory of the LORD continue forever. May the LORD be happy with what he has made.