Selah (in the book of Psalms)

[Crumpy]

The 1907 Catholic Encyclopedia has a lengthy article on the Psalms.

There are many points to be recounted in the history of the study of the Psalms, but on this one, the author of the article says this.

No one knows for sure what ‘selah’ means. But, it is his speculation, based on the similarity to another Hebrew word (in which the Psalms were originally written) that it is a liturgical direction (as the Psalms were used in the liturgy) for prostration.

I was thumbing through the Psalms in the KJV (where I thought the word would be more prominently printed – it wasn’t) and I didn’t run across ‘selah’ until Ps. 46, where it occurs three times.

Not only does the word seem to punctuate the psalm at particular, logical points, but the content of the associated verses are very profound in theological expression.

It’s an interesting hypothesis.

 

[BibleSteve]

“Selah” is a transliterated Hebrew expression found frequently in the Psalms and also appearing in Habakkuk chapter*3. Although it is generally thought to be a technical term for music or recitation, its exact significance is unknown. It is held by some to mean a “pause, suspension, or holding back,” either of the singing of the psalm for a musical interlude or of both singing and instrumental music for silent meditation. In either event, the pause was doubtless used to make the fact or sentiment just expressed more impressive, to allow the full import of the last utterance to sink in. The Greek Septuagint rendering of Selah is di·a′psal·ma, defined as “a musical interlude.” Selah always appears at the end of a clause and generally at the end of a strophe, every occurrence being in a song containing some kind of musical direction or expression. In Psalm 9:16 it is accompanied by “Higgaion,” there understood by some to be associated with the music of the harp.

 

[Crumpy]

“Selah” is a transliterated Hebrew expression found frequently in the Psalms and also appearing in Habakkuk chapter*3. Although it is generally thought to be a technical term for music or recitation, its exact significance is unknown. It is held by some to mean a “pause, suspension, or holding back,” either of the singing of the psalm for a musical interlude or of both singing and instrumental music for silent meditation. In either event, the pause was doubtless used to make the fact or sentiment just expressed more impressive, to allow the full import of the last utterance to sink in. The Greek Septuagint rendering of Selah is di·a′psal·ma, defined as “a musical interlude.” Selah always appears at the end of a clause and generally at the end of a strophe, every occurrence being in a song containing some kind of musical direction or expression. In Psalm 9:16 it is accompanied by “Higgaion,” there understood by some to be associated with the music of the harp.

Exactly, thanks for bringing all of this out. Yeah, they talked about strophes and anti-strophes (I think) and other stuff that occurs in the original, but not anywhere as prominently in the translation.

There’s a lot of similarity between genuflection (on one knee), genuflection on two knees, full prostration on the floor, and even the form of deep bowing that Muslims do during prayer. They certainly create an “interlude” as you say. And, to the author’s point, there’s just a short hop from “selah” or SLH to this other word which is the term for prostration (in reverence).

The problem with all this is that no one knows for sure, at this point.