Selah*

There are seventy-five occurrences of the word "Selah" in scripture. Almost all are found in the Psalms, which were written as songs, and one use is found in a prayer-song written by the prophet Habakkuk. The word selah means to lift up, exalt. It also refers to a technical music term to show a pause by a singer in a song while instruments continue to play. Therefore when selah appears, we are to pause and consider the exaltation of God at that point. We can see this in the placement of the word "selah" in Psalm 3, written by David when he fled from his son, Absalom, who tried to take his father's throne: "LORD, how they are increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter of mine head. I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah...Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah." Each placement of the word "Selah" in the Psalm is meant for us to stop and exalt the LORD, even in our most bitter circumstances, and when we feel most powerless. This is the purpose, the power, and the warfare of the selah, the pause used for the exaltation of the LORD. America, looking at the news headlines for this week, has become a ball of confusion. Division and turmoil, accusations and anger have taken hold over issues like abortion and gun rights. Pride parades in the streets, when God's Word tells us: "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." (Prov. 16:18). It is necessary now more than ever before for God's people to understand the importance of "Selah". In Psalm 4, also written by David, the musical instruction "Neginoth" is written, which refers to a stringed instrument, but it also has the meaning of being a taunting song. In part, this Psalm sings: "Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing (meaning lying, deceitful, untruth)? Selah. But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him." David saw the lies of men that turn glory into shame, but he placed the selah at this point in order to interrupt this observation, and to instruct us to pause in this prayer song, and exalt God instead. He then sings, "Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD...LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us." (v. 4-6). David opens the Psalm with the LORD being the God of David's righteousness, and here he reminds us again that our righteousness is not our own, but is given to us by God. When seeing the shamefulness and lies of men, it is the time to selah - to exalt God, and sin not, because our trust is in Him. It is the LORD who shines the light of His face upon us. In the night, when the taunting lies of men weigh upon our minds, with the selah interruption found in the exaltation of God, we can say as David said: "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, O LORD, only makest me dwell in safety." (v. 8). These Psalms take great challenges, and and at just the right moment, pause to reflect on God. As mentioned earlier, the prophet Habakkuk used the selah in writing his prayer-song concerning a vision of judgment given to him from God. In Hab. 3, the prophet asked God that in wrath, remember mercy. Then he described the appearance of God. He said that God came from Teman (root meaning: from the right hand), and the Holy One from Mount Paran (root meaning: beautify, glorify, praised). Then he wrote, "Selah". He wanted us to pause here in the song and glorify God, and consider His identity, and where He is coming from. Then Habakkuk wrote: "His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. And his brightness was as the light; he had horns (meaning: power, strength, lightning, rays of light) coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding (meaning hiding place, covering; to love fervently, cherish) of his power." (v. 2-4). Then Habakkuk saw: "Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet. He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting." (v. 5-6). We are seeing now in our generation the pestilence and suffering also. The prophet then wrote: "Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes (tribe, staff, rod, ruling sceptre), even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers." (v. 9). Pause or selah to consider that the ruling sceptre, the Word of God, is driving this judgment, and exalt Him. Then Habakkuk saw the purpose of this judgment: "Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed (also meaning Messiah); thou woundest the head (see Gen. 3:15) out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah." This selah pause is for us to exalt God in the understanding that in His judgment, He separates the wicked and the righteous. For this, Habakkuk concluded that even as the judgment manifests in the earth in trying ways: "Yet, I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD is my strength...and he will make me to walk upon mine high places." (v. 16-19). Jesus also warned of the judgment destruction that would come in a moment. It will be like the day of Noah, He said, when the flood came, or like Sodom, when the fire fell. Life went on as usual up until the moment that catastrophe came upon them. The righteous, like Noah and Lot, were preserved, but all others were destroyed. This will also be the circumstance in the day that the Son of man will be revealed. (Lk. 17:20-30). As Habakkuk prophesied, Jesus promised: "For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven,; so shall also the Son of man be in his day." (v. 24). Jesus told us to take heed to ourselves, lest the vain activities and cares of life in this world come upon us while we are unaware. This is the snare coming to all on the earth (Lk. 21:34-35). Jesus instructed: "Watch therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (v. 36, see also Mt. 24:42-44). Paul also said for the believers to "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." (Eph. 5:14-16). As Paul tells us to awake, arise, and walk circumspectly as the wise, he also tells us how to accomplish this: "...be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (v. 18-20). Here we see the selah pause of the psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, as Paul wrote, giving God thanks always. This, the selah, is our fight in these end times. In another place, Paul wrote again: "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence (meaning lust), and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience...Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." (Col. 3:5-6, 16-17). As he stated these thoughts here again, he also indicated that grace, purity of obedience, charity, perfectness, and the peace of God within us is affected by this selah pause contained within our prayer songs. The selah pause of exaltation contained in our prayer songs is necessary for the church to understand in these times when wickedness is prevalent. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 6/26/2022 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and endtimeschool.com.