Time to Pause

The Hebrew word selah (pronounced “say-lah”) occurs 74 times in the Bible — all but three of them in Psalms. Biblical scholars aren’t sure what it means, but a few ideas have predominated: a musical interlude, a break to ponder or “weigh” the passage just shared, an affirmation akin to “Amen.” Some scholars, noting connections in Hebrew to the word for “lift up,” suggest selah may indicate a place to stop and exalt the Lord.

The website GotQuestions.org advises that we combine these possible meanings: “When we see the word in a psalm or in Habakkuk 3, we should pause to carefully weigh the meaning of what we have just read or heard, lifting up our hearts in praise to God for his great truths.”

In the words of Psalm 24:10 (ESV), “Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah.”

“Be still and know that I am God.”