3 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. 4 With my voice I cry to the Lord, and He hears and answers me out of His holy hill. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! 5 I lay down and slept; I wakened again, for the Lord sustains me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me round about. 7 Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheek; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8 Salvation belongs to the Lord; May Your blessing be upon Your people. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
As some of you know, I read through the Bible in a different translation every year. This year, I have chosen the classic Amplified Version. While the amplifications are more interpretation than actual translation, they do cause one to pause and consider certain things in a new light. For instance, there is the word Selah that is found in Hebrew Poetry. A brief study of that word makes it clear that no one knows exactly what it means. That is why most versions include the direct transliteration of the word into English (selah). Some say it is a term that means to pause and reflect, while others think it is a musical term that indicates a crescendo when the psalm is sung. Since no one really knows, we often just read past the word and move on to the next verse. Yet, those words are included in the text for a reason.
I am unsure if the Amplified Bible’s understanding of “pause and calmly think of that” is correct, but it is one probable meaning. Yet, reading this psalm with that understanding in mind sheds a new light on how I should read the word of God. Instead of just pushing through the words because I have a certain amount of text to read today, that word Selah makes me pause and meditate on what I just read. Selah is only found 74 times in the Bible, but I am convinced that I need a “selah” approach to all my Bible reading this year. It is not enough to just read for the sake of reading or because I know it is what God expects of me. His word is food for my soul, and I need to chew on it, ruminate on it, and consider the weight of what God is saying to me. Sometimes, the best thing you can do when you read the Bible is to stop, take some time, and think deeply about what God is saying. You may find you have been taking a fast-food approach to the incredibly rich banquet the Lord has set before you.
