Psalms 104:35 · Bible study
Psalms 104:35 Commentary: The End of Sin, the Beginning of Praise
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Psalm 104:35, the psalmist's prayer for sinners to vanish from the earth and his call to bless the LORD. A hope for creation's restoration.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The psalmist longs for the complete removal of persistent sinners from God's good creation, leading to universal praise.
- Key words: tamam (to finish, cease), chatta'im (habitual sinners), resha'im (wicked), hallelujah (praise Yah).
- Main debate: Is this a vindictive imprecation or a hopeful prayer for creation's restoration?
- Theological theme: Theodicy, God's justice against evil within His good creation; eschatology, the hope of sin's end.
- Best use: A prayer for the coming of God's kingdom and the restoration of all things, leading to worship.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
May sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, O my soul. Hallelujah!
WEB World English Bible 2000
Let sinners be consumed out of the earth. Let the wicked be no more. Bless Yahweh, my soul. Praise Yah!
KJV King James Version 1769
Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Let sinners be consumed out of the earth. And let the wicked be no more. Bless Jehovah, O my soul. Praise ye Jehovah.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Consumed are sinners from the earth, And the wicked are no more. Bless, O my soul, Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah!
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Sinners shall be consumed out of the earth, and the wicked shall be no more. Bless Jehovah, O my soul. Hallelujah!
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And they devoured all the grass in their land, and consumed all the fruit of their ground.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Sean consumidos de la tierra los pecadores, y los impíos dejen de ser. Bendice, alma mía, á Jehová. Aleluya|strong="H1984, H3050".
Os pecadores serão consumidos da terra, e os maus não existirão mais. Bendizei, ó minha alma, ao SENHOR! Aleluia!
Que les pécheurs disparaissent de la terre,
Der Sünder müsse ein Ende werden auf Erden, und die Gottlosen nicht mehr sein. Lobe den HERRN, meine Seele! Halleluja!
De zondaars zullen van de aarde verdaan worden, en de goddelozen zullen niet meer zijn. Loof den HEERE, mijn ziel! Hallelujah!
Spariscano i peccatori dalla terra, e gli empi non siano più! Anima mia, benedici l’Eterno. Alleluia.
Oby byli wytraceni grzesznicy z ziemi, a niezbożnych aby już nie było! Błogosław, duszo moja! Panu. Halleluja.
и съели всю траву на земле их, и съели плоды на полях их.
願罪人 從 世 上消滅！願惡人 歸於 無有！我的心哪，要稱頌 耶和華！你們要讚美 耶和華（原文是哈利路亞；下同）！
Let sinners be cut off from the earth, and let all evil-doers come to an end. Give praise to the Lord, O my soul. Give praise to the Lord.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 104:35
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this concluding verse is not a personal curse but a prayer rooted in the psalmist's vision of creation's ideal harmony. Barnes notes that the verb 'consumed' (תַּמּוּ, tamam) means to 'complete, finish, cease', not necessarily destruction by burning, but the coming to an end of sin's presence. The Cambridge Bible calls it 'a solemn prayer for the restoration of the harmony of creation by the banishment from it of all things that cause stumbling.' Keil & Delitzsch observe that the psalmist wishes those removed 'who take pleasure in wickedness, and instead of giving God joy excite His wrath,' because they are 'contrary to the purpose of the good creation of God.' This prayer is the longing of a heart that loves God's world and wants it to be what it was meant to be. The final 'Hallelujah' is not gloating over enemies but the inevitable response when God's justice completes creation's song.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Imprecation view: The psalmist prays for God to destroy his enemies; supported by Clarke (who reads it as a wish for the wicked to be turned into hell) and Gill (who applies it to antichrist and his followers).
- Eschatological hope: The psalmist longs for the complete removal of all evil from creation; supported by Barnes (who sees a desire for conversion of sinners), Cambridge (restoration of harmony), and Keil & Delitzsch (removal of those who mar creation's joy).
What is clear: The verse expresses a longing that those who oppose God's purpose should cease to exist, and that God alone be praised.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the prayer | The verse expresses a desire for an end to wickedness in the world. | Some read it as an imprecation for the destruction of personal or national enemies (Clarke, Gill); others as a hopeful anticipation of the ultimate banishment of all evil from creation (Barnes, Cambridge, Keil & Delitzsch). |
| Meaning of 'consumed' (tamam) | The verb indicates coming to an end or being finished. | Does it imply violent destruction or merely cessation of existence? Barnes notes it does not mean 'burned up' but completed. Gill sees a reference to 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and final judgment. |
| Identity of 'sinners' | The term refers to those who oppose God and persist in sin. | Are these the psalmist's personal enemies, the wicked in general, or specific eschatological figures? Gill specifies antichrist and his followers; others see all unredeemed who refuse to submit to God. |
| Role of Hallelujah | The final word calls the community to praise God. | Is it a response to God's judgment on the wicked (Wesley, noting its use in Revelation 19), or a general call to praise independent of the preceding prayer? Cambridge notes it appears here for the first time in the Psalter. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 104 is a poetic meditation on the creation narrative of Genesis 1. It traces God's works from the laying of the foundations of the earth to the provision of food for every creature. The psalmist moves through the days of creation, celebrating the order and beauty of the natural world. By verse 31, he has expressed a desire that God's glory endure forever and that God rejoice in His works. But the psalmist is aware that not all of creation responds in joyful obedience. In verse 35, he turns to address the one discordant note: sin.
The word for 'sinners' (חַטָּאִים, chatta'im) is an intensive form, implying those who are habitually and obstinately sinful (Cambridge). The verb 'consumed' comes from תָּמַם (tamam), meaning to be finished or completed, to come to an end (Barnes). The jussive form (יִתַּמּוּ, yittammu) can express a wish or a confident expectation: 'may they be ended' or 'they will be ended.' The pairing of 'sinners' (chatta'im) and 'wicked' (resha'im) covers the full spectrum of those who oppose God's rule.
The psalm's structure is cyclical: it opened with 'Bless Yahweh, O my soul' (v.1) and closes with the same. The addition of 'Praise Yah' (Hallelujah) extends the call beyond the psalmist to the entire community. This is the first appearance of 'Hallelujah' in the Psalter (Cambridge). The historical setting is debated; some see post-exilic features in the use of Hallelujah (JFB), but the content is timeless. The prayer is best understood against the backdrop of creation's original goodness and the hope of its restoration. This is not the voice of personal vengeance but of a heart that loves what God loves, a creation whole and worshipful.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for the verse itself. The position of 'Hallelujah' at the end of the psalm rather than the beginning has been discussed (Cambridge), but the text is stable across manuscripts.
Reception History
Since the early church, this verse has been read in light of eschatological judgment. Augustine saw the consummation of the wicked as a foreshadowing of the final judgment. The appearance of 'Hallelujah' here, and later in Revelation 19 at the fall of Babylon, has reinforced this interpretation. Wesley notes the first and last occurrences of Hallelujah in Scripture both attend the destruction of the wicked. Medieval and Reformation commentators, including Calvin, interpreted it as the psalmist's longing for the restoration of God's order. Across traditions, the verse has been seen as a hopeful cry for the end of evil, not a personal curse.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Fragile Beauty of Creation (vv.1, 30), The psalmist sees God's goodness in all things and rejoices in His works.
- The One Dissonant Element (v.35a), Sin and wickedness threaten creation's harmony; the psalmist cannot ignore them.
- The Fitting Response (v.35b, c), Bless the Lord and call all to praise Him, trusting that He will complete His work.
Five-point outline
- The creation hymn (vv.1, 30), God's power and provision displayed in nature.
- The problem of sin (v.35a), Habitual sinners who persist in rebellion mar the creation.
- The prayer for restoration (v.35a), Not destruction for its own sake, but the end of sin's presence.
- The personal resolve (v.35b), 'Bless the LORD, O my soul' affirms the psalmist's own commitment.
- The corporate summons (v.35c), 'Hallelujah' joins the whole community in praise for God's justice.
Illustration hooks
- A musician playing a perfect piece is jarred by a wrong note; the whole hall longs for the music to be restored.
- A gardener who has tended a garden all season finds it overrun with weeds; the desire for a clean, weed-free garden parallels the psalmist's longing.
- A parent's dream for their children to live in a world without violence or corruption mirrors this prayer for the wicked to be no more.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this verse mean we should want our enemies to be destroyed?
- Is it wrong to pray for the removal of wicked people from the earth?
- How can I praise God wholeheartedly when evil still exists around me?
Leading a Discussion
The psalmist ends a magnificent creation poem with a stark request. Why? Because he knows that sin breaks the harmony God intended. This verse forces us to ask: what do we really want for the world? Revenge or redemption?
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 104:31, 35. Why do you think the psalmist moves from praising God's works to a prayer for sinners to be consumed?
- What does the word 'consumed' (tamam) suggest about the psalmist's intent? How does that change how you read the verse?
- The Cambridge Bible calls this 'a solemn prayer for the restoration of the harmony of creation.' Do you agree? Why or why not?
- How does the surrounding context of creation (vv.1, 30) shape the meaning of verse 35?
- In what sense might the prayer for the end of sinners also be a prayer for conversion? (See Barnes' note on this possibility.)
- How does the final 'Hallelujah' function after such a prayer? What does it reveal about the psalmist's heart?
- How does this verse challenge or comfort you in your view of God's justice and the future of creation?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Judges 5:31 | “So let all your enemies perish, Yahweh, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years. |
| Psalms 1:4 | The wicked are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. |
| Psalms 37:38 | As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off. |
| Psalms 59:13 | Consume them in wrath. Consume them, and they will be no more. Let them know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth. Selah. |
| Psalms 68:1 | For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song. Let God arise! Let his enemies be scattered! Let them who hate him also flee before him. |
| Psalms 68:2 | As smoke is driven away, so drive them away. As wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. |
| Psalms 73:27 | For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you. |
| Psalms 101:8 | Morning by morning, I will destroy all the wicked of the land, to cut off all the workers of iniquity from Yahweh’s city. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke sees the verse as a declaration that God will remove the wicked completely, leaving none of them found. For him, this prospect of final judgment does not prompt dread but a burst of praise, and he extends that call directly to his readers to bless the Lord as well.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes treats the phrase about sinners being consumed as more a statement of fact than a wish. He reads it as the psalmist's hopeful expectation that sin will one day end, not through destruction but through the conversion of all people to worship God.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin points out that this psalm does not focus on God's special gifts to his church or the hope of heaven, as the previous one did. Instead, it uses the vivid images of creation and nature to show God's wisdom, power, and goodness, calling us to praise him as a Father who cares for us in this earthly life.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator insists this closing prayer is not a curse but a plea to restore creation's harmony by removing what disrupts it. Sin cannot be abstractly banished because it is personal, inseparable from the sinner's obstinate will. The first "Hallelujah" appears here, originally the congregation's summons to join the Psalm.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and the wicked till there be no more: O my soule, prayse thou the Lord. Prayse ye the Lord.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill specifically identifies the "sinners" here as the antichristian party and its followers, not all sinful people. He reads the verse as a prophecy of their final destruction at Christ's coming, when they will be consumed and never rise again. He notes this is the first occurrence of "Hallelujah" in Psalms, linking it to the same praise in Revelation 19 over antichrist's doom.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the closing "Hallelujah" is a Hebrew phrase adopted into English, likely serving as a choral refrain. He points out that this word is characteristic of psalms written after the exile, much as "Selah" marks earlier psalms.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch see the psalm ending with a Sabbath-like harmony: the poet desires God to take lasting joy in creation, while vowing to praise God with his whole life. The closing Hallelujah gains its first appearance here, linked to the hope that sinners who threaten creation's joy will finally be removed.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry contrasts God's unfading glory with human glory that passes away. He notes that God rejoices in all his works without regret, because they are done in perfect wisdom, whereas humans often look back on their actions with displeasure.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that