The Selah Mystery

Many verses throughout the Psalms conclude with the single word selah (which is simply a transliteration of the Hebrew word) or interlude, depending on the translation you are reading. Here is a sampling of verses that contain this word:

Psalm 3:4

I cried out to the LORD,

and he answered me from his holy mountain.

Interlude

Psalm 24:10

Who is the King of glory?

The LORD Almighty—

he is the King of glory.

Interlude

Psalm 39:5

My life is no longer than the width of my hand.

An entire lifetime is just a moment to you;

human existence is but a breath.

Interlude

Psalm 59:5

O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel,

rise up to punish hostile nations.

Show no mercy to wicked traitors.

Interlude

Psalm 82:2

“How long will you judges hand down unjust decisions?

How long will you shower special favors on the wicked?”

Interlude

Psalm 143:6

I reach out for you.

I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain.

Interlude

Selah is one of those words like hallelujah that translators of the King James Version never bothered to translate into English. The difference, however, is that they knew hallelujah meant “Praise the Lord,” but they didn’t seem to be sure what selah meant.

Four hundred years later scholars still scratch their heads about the meaning of selah, but at least a few of them have made some educated guesses.

One of the possible meanings for selah may be inferred from its similarity to a Hebrew word meaning “to lift up.” If this theory is correct, the word carries the sense of “interlude,” and several contemporary translations have chosen to render the word in this way. The word would have indicated that those singing were to pause, perhaps to allow for a musical interlude so that the people could pray individually or apply the words to their own lives.

We all need interludes in our life. We need to let the music go on without us. We need to take breaks from the routine in order to meditate on what God has for us this day.

Jesus, I am resting, resting, in the joy of what thou art,

I am finding out the greatness of thy loving heart. . . .

Yes, I rest in thee, Lord Jesus, for I know what grace is thine.

And I trust in what you’ve promised, and have made it mine.

JEAN S. PIGOTT

The Hebrew word selah (or interlude) occurs seventy-four times in the Bible, and seventy-one of those times in the Psalms. The other three instances are in the small book of Habakkuk.