The Meaning of Psalms 104:29 Explained

Psalms 104:29

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

YLT: Thou hidest Thy face -- they are troubled, Thou gatherest their spirit -- they expire, And unto their dust they turn back.

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

ASV: Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled; Thou takest away their breath, they die, And return to their dust.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Psalms 104:29 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 104:24-35 - The Almighty's Open Hand
The psalmist says nothing of the operation of the great laws of nature, but passes behind and beyond to the Great Hand which opens to fill and satisfy all living things with good. The personality of God is the moving force behind the thin veil of outward appearance. This is in striking contrast with much of the thinking and speaking of the present day, which practically exclude the Creator from his own creation. But there is no real opposition between the two conceptions. Natural law is only another way of stating the usual method of God's working. There is no variableness in Him, nor shadow cast by turning; and it is because we can count on His unaltering methods that human life can develop regularly and successfully.
While all creation waits on the opening of God's hand, man alone can adore Him. We stand in the midst of creation as its high priest and interpreter. We can say to God what nature longs to express but cannot. Amid the beauty and magnificence of natural scenery, let us sing the "Te Deum;" and let us believe that He who rejoices in His works comes very near us in our joy, which proves that our nature and His are closely akin. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 104

1  A meditation upon the mighty power
7  And wonderful providence of God
31  God's glory is eternal
33  The prophet vows perpetually to praise God

What do the individual words in Psalms 104:29 mean?

You hide Your face they are troubled You take away their breath they die and to their dust return
תַּסְתִּ֥יר פָּנֶיךָ֮ יִֽבָּהֵ֫ל֥וּן תֹּסֵ֣ף ר֭וּחָם יִגְוָע֑וּן וְֽאֶל־ עֲפָרָ֥ם יְשׁוּבֽוּן

תַּסְתִּ֥יר  You  hide 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: סָתַר  
Sense: to hide, conceal.
פָּנֶיךָ֮  Your  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יִֽבָּהֵ֫ל֥וּן  they  are  troubled 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: בָּהַל  
Sense: to disturb, alarm, terrify, hurry, be disturbed, be anxious, be afraid, be hurried, be nervous.
תֹּסֵ֣ף  You  take  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
ר֭וּחָם  their  breath 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
יִגְוָע֑וּן  they  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: גָּוַע  
Sense: to expire, die, perish, give up the ghost, yield up the ghost, be dead, be ready to die.
וְֽאֶל־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
עֲפָרָ֥ם  their  dust 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עָפָר  
Sense: dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish.
יְשׁוּבֽוּן  return 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.