One of the frequently appearing words in Psalms, Selah carries profound theological significance. I decided to take a look at its meaning beyond the “pause and calmly think of it” that I read in Psalms 68:19 today.
To break it down, the Psalms should often be seen as poems to be sung in worship. So when the musicians are performing the music, Selah brings in a notation to tell the musicians and the congregation alike to:
* Pause for instrumental interlude.
* Raise the musical intensity.
* Reflect deeply on what had just been proclaimed.
* Allow the truth to sink into the hearts of the worshippers before continuing.
In today’s worship, Selah is, in effect, calling us to a sacred interruption from our prevalent culture marked by speed and distraction into a worship that allows God’s Spirit to impress eternal truths upon us.
Now, you see why the Psalms have given us, perhaps, most of our songs today.
#YeahMomentsWithYO!