Pause. Pause to examine what God is doing right now. Pause
to listen. Pause to reflect. Pause because God is good right now, even if
nothing seems to make sense. Selah.
Selah is a Hebrew word
used throughout the Bible, particularly in Psalms. Typically, the word appears
after a new thought or idea is presented, indicating a transition to the next
thing. Biblical scholars have debated for many years on the exact meaning of the
word Selah. While some believe it is simply
a musical transition word, others believe it means to “pause,” “reflect,” or “praise.” Although I’m not a biblical scholar by any measure, I tend to think Selah could very well be both a musical
transition word and an instruction to pause, reflect, and praise God.
It is clear that while we may not fully understand the
meaning of Selah today, it was
something important to the writers of the Bible. Hence, it was included over
seventy times throughout the book of Psalms.
The more I look into the expressions of David and other
Psalmists during these excerpts containing “Selah,”
the more I am convinced that this transition, pause, and reflection was
something essential. For example, in Psalm
46, the sons of Korah begin the Psalm by crying out that God is our strength
despite the immense trouble in the world. Thereafter, “Selah” is written. Then, they go on to say that God is among us and
will release His power when morning dawns. “Selah.”
Finally, the Psalm goes on to say that God brings desolations on the earth, but
He has the power to restore everything. He will be our fortress in all the hard
times. “Selah.”
This Psalm, from my interpretation, reveals a moment in
which the writers were reflecting and pausing to honor and remember God’s
power. To me, it’s almost as if they were proclaiming those words and repeating
them again and again until they fully believed in their meaning. In this
passage I picture their hearts declaring, “So be it. Yes, these words are true.
Yes, God is good. Yes, He is powerful,” each time Selah is written.
While I can’t know for sure how accurate my interpretation
is on the word “Selah,” I know that
this practice of pausing, reflecting, and praising God in the transitions of
life is a healthy and Biblical thing to do. As I am in a phase of life in which
there are many ups and downs and a whole lot of waiting and wondering, I am
challenged by the Psalmists to add “Selah”
into each day. To transition effectively from one thing to the next, I must reflect
and remember God’s goodness. I must not waiver from my trust in Him. While I
may be tempted to move on to whatever the next phase is in life, I cannot
forget to pause and note God’s presence and strength in my life that holds true
RIGHT NOW. Therefore, I am committing my life to honor God’s goodness by
pausing, remembering, reflecting on, and repeating His true Word daily.
Until next time,
Tamara
