Every year we are encouraged both secularly and spiritually to look back, to reflect, to consider the past, and to ponder the future. In this past year, many of our worldly distractions have been stripped away. Yet despite this, many of us still find it nearly impossible to stop, to reflect, to consider God, and to remember what He’s done.
This Hebrew word selah is found 71 times in the book of Psalms, as well as a smattering of other places elsewhere in the bible. Nobody knows exactly what this word means, so most translators leave it in the original language. Though Scholars debate as to its exact meaning, most conclude that selah could be interpreted to stop, to pause, to weigh in the balances, to value, to praise, to lift up.
Our Duty
Nearly everyone would agree that the concept of selah is a good idea. Even the secular world promotes stopping, thinking, reflecting, and meditating as healthy habits. Yet in the bible, the concept of selah is more than a good idea, it’s our duty.
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
Psalm 46:10 (ESV)
In fact, Jesus reprimanded his disciples for not stopping and reflecting. He said,
“Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?”
Matthew 16:9-10 (ESV)
John Flavel, a puritan author from the 1600s, tells us, “meditating on the providence of God is our duty because God has expressly commanded it, and called His people to make the most serious reflections upon His works, whether of mercy or judgment.”
Our Present
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28 (ESV)
The word know in this verse means to see, to perceive, to behold. Yet are we doing that? Are we stopping to see, to perceive, to behold… all things (i.e., our job, our upbringing, our relationships, our family, the age in which we live, where we live, nature, the seasons, our friends, our church, the authorities in our lives, our challenges, our victories, our weaknesses, our strengths)? Even if we love God and are called according to His purpose, we will miss the consolation of this verse if we fail to stop and to recognize God’s handiwork.
As John Flavel put it, “Praise and thanksgiving for mercies depend upon this act of observation… and cannot be performed without it.”
Our Future
The practice of selah isn’t just about our present state of mind. But will have a profound effect upon our future.
Before David faced Goliath, he considered how God had rescued him in the past…
And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
1 Samuel 17:37 (ESV)
When faced with hardship, Paul confidently hoped in the future, recalling God’s previous deliverance…
“He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.”
2 Corinthians 1:10 (ESV)
Quoting John Flavel, “O that we were but acquainted with this heavenly spiritual exercise, how sweet it would make our lives, how light it would make our burdens! Ah, sirs, you live estranged from the pleasure of the Christian life, while you live in the ignorance or neglect of this duty.”
Our Choice
Here’s the crux. We all agree that the concept of selah is good for our soul. But let’s be honest… It’s just not that important to us. We are too busy, have too many responsibilities, are needed elsewhere, have other commitments, other desires, and just frankly don’t have time for this…
Yet in all our chaos… God pleads with us that we might stop… Take some time to acknowledge Him… and meditate upon His care for us…
As Isaiah put it,
“Even an ox knows its owner, and a donkey recognizes its master’s care— but Israel doesn’t know its master. My people don’t recognize my care for them.”
Isaiah 1:3 (NLT2)
Does that describe us? Let’s be honest.
It’s our choice. What will we do with selah?