Selah - Pausing

When I was younger and I would read the Psalms, I often wondered about this word Selah.  But at that age, I did not follow through to find out it’s meaning.  It was one of those mysteries of the Bible.  Then a few years back, I came upon a singing group named Selah, but even then when I liked their music I did not pursue the meaning of the word.

But this past Sunday the pastor at church was preaching in Psalm 3, and we see Selah 3 times in this passage.  So, finally you say, I looked up the meaning after she explained it in church.

There is no consensus on its actual meaning but it has been narrowed to at least two 1. Stop and Listen, or 2. Pause.  It is used primarily in the Psalms which were sung so the feeling is it is used in terms of a musical direction. But it is also found in the Habakkuk.

So less than clear. but both of those ideas seem to make sense in terms of this particular Psalm.  David is crying out to God, and then he pauses, cries out again, pauses again and cries out one last time, then a final pause.

Please read the text below.

1 Lord, how many are my foes! 
How many rise up against me! 2 Many are saying of me, 
“God will not deliver him.”

SELAH

3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. 4 I call out to the Lord, 
and he answers me from his holy mountain.

SELAH

5 I lie down and sleep; 
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. 6 I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side. 7 Arise, Lord! 
Deliver me, my God! 
Strike all my enemies on the jaw; 
break the teeth of the wicked. 8 From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

SELAH

This past Sunday was the Parliamentary election in Cambodia.  There have been many accusations of election fraud, people not allowed to vote, people who claim that someone else voted for them.  It looked like it might come to violence.  There were a few incidents at voting locations.  But it dissipated that evening, even though there is still tension in the air.

But there seemed to be a calm after the original agitation, and now we are eagerly awaiting the results.  We are in a time of pausing or stopping and waiting.

 

I have found the same thing happens in my life.  I cry out to God and he promises he will answer, but when the answer does not come quickly enough, I call out again, and again.  I think I need to apply Selah to my own life.  I need to stop and listen, waiting patiently and yet eagerly for God’s reply.  Selah seems to be one of those God ideas, that is just backward to our humanness.

 

Has there been a time in your life when you needed to apply the concept of Selah – to wait with patience and eagerness?  Did God respond in a timely manner for you or for him?