"Selah"

Many times in the Psalms, the word "Selah" is used. 

I am currently leading a Women's Bible Study group that is

learning about letting things go; letting go of our controlling 

nature, and realizing that God is in control.   Last week, we 

came upon the word "Selah", and our books said that it 

means "to pause and listen" or "to stop and think".


When in a part of our study focused on "listening", we 

decided that we wish to know more about this Hebrew 

word.....

Below, I share what I learned when I dug deeper, hoping to

find wisdom from this word, "Selah", that was used 71 times 

in the Psalms. 

It appears that Selah was a musical term. This term occurs only in the Psalms, and elsewhere only 3 times in Habakkuk. This Hebrew music term is connected with the use of the temple music.

סֶלָה (çelâh, seh'-law): suspension (of music), i.e. pause

Selah: Rest, silence.This seems to have been a short pause in the singing of the Psalms.

Pause.
Easton's Bible Dictionary defines it as: as word frequently found in the Book of Psalms, about seventy-four times in all in Scripture. Its meaning is full of doubt. Some interpret it as meaning "silence" or "pause;" others, "end," "a louder strain," "piano," etc. The LXX. render the word by daplasma i.e., "a division."

Well then...That's clear as mud....

For whatever reason, I expected to find a more concrete answer when studying this word.  I was happy to find that it is a musical term, as I am lover of all things music, but honestly, I was hoping for more insight into pausing and listening in life....

It is difficult to pause and listen, whether it be to what your loved ones have to say, or listening for the prompts of God, it is difficult in this fast paced life, to pause to listen!  I noticed that "Selah" is usually at the end of a phrase, in the Psalms.  I can now understand, both musically and spiritually, why the psalmist would want us to "pause" and let the beautiful words of the Psalm 'sink in', so to speak. If the Psalms are read in a hurry, much of the meaning and spirituality of the words is lost. 

Well, now that I think about it, isn't the same true with much of life?  If we don't pause, rest, stop and think, we miss much of the meaning!  The best memories are made in moments of rest, pause, or attention.  In fact, we wouldn't remember the moments at all, if we didn't pause to capture them! 

So, whether you are hoping to be a better listener, wishing for more restful times, or waiting to hear God's instruction for your life, be sure to work "Selah" into your everyday life!   

Pause, and listen to all around you. Don't miss any moments!