Our 35th Word is Selah
This obscure Hebrew words means a reminder to pause and reflect on lofty eternal truths.
“I stretch out my hands to You; My soul longs for You, as a parched land. Selah.” (Psalm 143:6)
To all the people who are constantly blowing and going, moving and shaking, wheeling and dealing…
And to all the other weary souls who are running around like the proverbial chicken with its head cut off, thereby meeting themselves coming and going, and barely staying ahead of the train…
Here’s a timely Bible word for you from the book of Psalms: “Selah”.
This mysterious Hebrew word “selah” is found seventy-one tims in the Psalms and three more places in Habakkuk. Scholars are divided as to what exactly this word means, though there’s no lack of ideas.
We do know that “selah” is related to a verb that means “to lift up”. So, for instance, Moses referenced the way the Egyptian pharaoh exalted himself against the Israelites (Exodus 9:17). and the prophets used the metaphor of a road being “built up” (that is, an elevated “highway,” Isaiah 57:14 and Jeremiah 18:15). Another form of this verb is translated “ladder” or “stairway” (Genesis 28:12).
In the Psalms, selah is often inserted at section or stanza breaks or at the end of lines, for example, “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah” (Psalm 46:7).
Because of all these factors, many theorize that selah was a worship notation for the ancient Israelites. Perhaps the idea was “Lift up your voice” or “Let the music swell.” Others believe selah was a call for some kind of musical “interlude”. And if so, while the music continued, worshipers were expected to pause and reflect on the lofty lyrics just sung, to focus on higher realities and let their hearts rejoice in eternal truths.
We live in a world that worships at the altars of hurry, efficiency, and productivity. you’ve heard the mantras: Get more done in less time! Don’t stop, you’ll fall behind! He who hesitates is lost!
Without realizing it, this same kind of frenetic mind set can mar our efforts to connect with God. Reading the Bible becomes an item to cross off on the old to do list. Prayer ends up being little more than a spiritual speed bump. Corporate worship services are crammed so full there’s no opportunity for reflection or quiet contemplation. In other words, no selah!
How about we bring selah back into vogue? And not just the word, but the actual practice of it.
What if every time we read, heard, or remembered an eternal truth, or saw the grace of God displayed powerfully in someone’s life, what if, instead of nodding mindlessly and turning to the next item on the agenda, we said, “Selah”.
What if we paused, lifted our eyes to heaven, and maybe our voices in praise?
What if, indeed.
Questions to Ponder
- Why is pausing and reflecting on lofty eternal truths a good practice?
- Is this your practice?
No Thought Police 