And, in Jewish tradition, as we read selah, we are saying to God, “may it be forever.” Each time we find the word selah, we should “pause and give thought, or emphasis” at that point in the scriptures. For this reason, we could take the meaning of selah (“to lift up”) to a practical level. Unless you are participating in a Jewish worship service, most likely you find yourself reading the psalms rather than singing them. Since “selah” only appears in connection with the psalms/songs, it must have musical meaning. While a person might be unfamiliar with what things mean, the context of their appearance on a sheet of music gives clues. make perfect sense, each giving direction to either the one singing or playing an instrument. How music is notated has evolved over centuries the current staff and clef notations that are used today date back to the eighteenth century – relatively recent! For someone who reads music, the squiggly lines and flagged circles on horizontal lines, the sharp and flat indicators, and words like allegro, adagio, diminuendo, etc. Understanding “selah” as a musical notation makes perfect sense. It was probably a note to the singers of the psalms or perhaps to those who were accompanying the singers with instruments.” Therefore, it was not an integral part of each psalm. It seems to have no grammatical connection with the sentence after which it appears.
Some regard it as a pause in the music to mark a transition in the theme or composition. It was a musical or liturgical sign, the meaning of which is not entirely understood today. But most scholars think it is simply some form of musical notation, such as a marker of a musical interlude, a pause, or a change of key.”įinally, the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible adds: “The word ‘Selah’ occurs a number of times in the Psalms. Some think that Selah is an emphatic word, marking a point in the psalm for “lifting up” one’s thoughts to God. No one is certain of the exact meaning of this word, that is, what it is to be lifted up. The MacArthur Bible Handbook has this view: “Derived from the verb ‘salal,’ ‘to lift up.’ It occurs in thirty-nine psalms and in the ‘Psalm of Habbakuk’ ( Habakkuk 3). The earliest Jewish traditions thought it meant ‘forever.’" It is variously seen as pause either for silence or musical interlude, a signal for the congregation to sing, recite, or fall prostrate on the ground, a cue for the cymbals to crash, a word to be shouted by the congregation, a sign to the choir to sing a higher pitch or louder. The Holman Concise Bible Dictionary explains Selah this way: “Term of unknown meaning appearing in Psalms and Habakkuk 3. My research found similar thoughts among Bible commentators. Out of the thirty-nine psalms which are headlined “for the choir director,” selah appears in thirty-one of them, indicating it has some connection to how the psalm is sung or performed. Read up on Bible verses about stress or Bible verses about courage for more insight on getting through these trying times.Because of the context, most biblical scholars agree that selah is some type of musical notation. Look to His word, and He will offer guidance through uncertain times. It may be hard, but you have a God who loves you and wants the best for you. The Bible has so much to say on the goodness of change and God’s presence with you every step of the way.
One place that is always a sure source of encouragement toward growth is God’s Word. The good news is that so many people out there have spoken about it (check our our positive quotes about change) and are willing to shed a little light at the end of the tunnel to give us comfort and motivation.
Even though we know that change is inevitable and usually a positive thing, we are, by nature, creatures of habit, so it can take a little prodding to get us to make a big move. Whether you’re looking to change up your life with some drastic new beginnings or just thinking about swapping out the living room paint color, for some of us, change of any kind can be a little daunting.
0 kommentar(er)
