Selah

Psalm 32:7 "You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.”

This past weekend, the women of Grace Harbor Church, with many of our friends went to Lake Arrowhead for our annual retreat. The theme was SELAH…. To pause and consider the deeper things of God. It was a blessed time, tucked away in the beauty of snow covered mountains and trees as far as the eye can see. The main verse of our devotion was our Theme Verse, and ministered to many hearts about the truth of God being our Hiding Place, a quiet hideaway from the storms of life. We can just stop where we are, close our eyes, and still hear the songs of deliverance that the Holy Spirit whispers all around us… and it is a beautiful reminder that He sends a gentle breeze over us when we feel alone or lost or fearful. He IS our Heavenly Father, and we can run into His strong arms any moment of the day or night. SELAH~

We learned about what God’s Word promises us and teaches us in the 71 passages in Psalms that include the word SELAH. Selah is a difficult concept to translate and is probably either a liturgico-musical mark or an instruction on the reading of the text, something like "stop and listen". "Selah" can also be used to indicate that there is to be a musical interlude at that point in the Psalm. The Amplified Bible states Selah as "pause, and think of that". The Psalms were sung accompanied by musical instruments and there are references to this in many chapters. Thirty-one of the thirty-nine psalms with the caption "To the choir-master" include the word "Selah". Selah notes a break in the song and as such is similar in purpose to Amen in that it stresses the importance of the preceding passage. Alternatively, Selah may mean "forever", as it does in some places in the liturgy (notably the second to last blessing of the Amidah). Another interpretation claims that Selah comes from the primary Hebrew root word [calah] which means "to hang", and by implication to measure (weigh).

There are thousands of passages in scripture that are amazing places to pause and consider, however, God has chosen to include the word SELAH for a reason in a select few passages in His Word, and we should allow their truth to rest on our hearts each and every day, Here are few of my favorites for you today to pause and reflect on:

Psalm 3:3-4: But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory and the one who lifts my head high. I cried out to the Lord and He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah.”

Psalm 3:8: “Victory comes from you, O Lord. May Your blessings rest on Your people. Selah.”

Psalms 4:4 "Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah."

Psalm 24:10: “Who is the King of glory? The Lord Almighty- He is the King of glory. Selah.”

Psalm 44:8: O God, we give glory to You all day long and constantly praise Your name. Selah

Psalm 46:3: Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge. Selah

Psalm 46:7 and 11: The Lord Almighty is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Selah

Psalm 57:3: He will send help from heaven to save me, rescuing me from those who are out to get me. Selah

Psalms 62:8 "Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah."

Whether calling for our meditation upon our sinfulness, declaring God is our refuge and champion in times of trouble, or speaking of the greatness of our God, this Hebrew word is an exhortation for us to be wise and measure what has been said until we understand its true meaning. Whenever we see this word in scripture, we should understand that the Lord is exhorting us to 'weigh' these things thoughtfully, and to reflect and consider in good sense judgment, what is 'really' being said.

I encourage you to spend time in the Psalms, and search out all the verses that have SELAH included in them. Ask the Lord to show you what it is that He wants you to pause and consider on each one. It is a rich journey, my beloved brothers and sisters. Rich indeed.

Selah, sister Lahoma

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