Meaning of Selah | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Alternative letter-case form of selah.
   alt-of
2. A word occurring between verses or paragraphs in parts of the Hebrew Bible, namely in Habakkuk and the Psalms; perhaps indicating a pause, either for contemplation or for clearing the throat in singing.

Examples

“God commeth from Theman, and the holy one from mount Paran, Selah. his glorie couereth the heauens, and the earth is full of his prayse.”

“LORD, how are they increased that trouble mee: many are they that riſe vp againſt me. / Many there bee which ſay of my ſoule, There is no helpe for him in God. Selah. / But thou, O LORD, art a ſheild for me; my glory, and the lifter vp of mine head. / I cryed vnto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of holy hill. Selah.”

“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. / From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. / For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. / I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.”

“[…] Ps[alm] xlvi has three Selahs (vs. 3, 7, 11,) and likewise a repetition in vs. 7, 11, which, as we have already fully illustrated, Selah greatly intensifies. In Ps. xlix there are two Selahs (vs. 13, 15,) indicating the refrain, "Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:" and, also, a repetition, (with some variation,) of the following words, "Nevertheless man being in honor abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish." Vs. 12, 20.”

“Students of Selah have been puzzled because in the psalms, which Mishna ascribes to each day of the week for the daily sacrifice, the desired number of Selahs is not to be found. The answer is that the pᵉraqim were timed to the ritual at the altar and that, even though the term Selah might not occur at all in some of these psalms, the pᵉraqim and prostrations referred to the actual Selah ceremony.”

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