Selah—an Interjection to See
On most days of the week, I drive a great distance of miles to reach the university where the Lord has planted me to teach. Normally, I take the same route, driving a particular road south, followed by a roadway that heads due west, and finally turning northwest to reach my destination of CU.
Years ago, when I first began driving this route, every sight seemed new to me, but now, after years of driving to the university, the sights, sounds, and roadways become more commonplace. Nevertheless, a few days ago, a certain sight caught my eye, one that truly had been present all along but had been hidden from my eyes—until now. That day, I could not help but look out my driver’s side window, as I drove across a certain bridge, seeing what has seemingly ALWAYS been there but seeing what now CONTINUES to intrigue me day-after-day.
Maybe you are wondering: What is this unusual sight?
Firmly planted in the middle of the Green River stands a mature tree.
The water rushes beside it, around it, touching it, but not overtaking it—for the tree has been planted by the LORD!
What is the meaning of this tree standing firmly planted? I looked to the Word of God for my answer. The psalmist David understood adversity:
- He was a shepherd boy who fought against wild animals attacking his sheep.
- He was anointed king of Israel when he was still a young boy.
- He endured the threat on his life by King Saul, the current king of Israel.
- He fought against and slew the giant Goliath with a smooth round stone. & years later,
- He fled from his own son, Absalom, who wanted to kill him.
When considering adversity, David wrote this Psalm of reflection—
“O LORD, how my adversaries have increased!
(The Psalms 3: 1-8 NASB)
Many are rising up against me.
Many are saying of my soul,
“There is no deliverance for him in God.” Selah
“But You, O LORD, are a shield about me,
My glory, and the One who lifts my head.
I was crying to the LORD with my voice,
And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah
I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the LORD sustains me.
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me round about.
Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God!
For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek;
You have shattered the teeth of the wicked.
Salvation belongs to the LORD;
Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah”
Selah is Hebrew word that means to pause, to rest, to reflect. Some of the most common interjections within the English language that mean some similar are:
- Oh!
- Wow!
- Alas, yes!
- Ahh!
Selah was one the most common interjections within the Hebrew language and one we find within the Bible by the prophet Habakkuk and the psalmist David.
Selah (requires no ! but the interjection it means remains).
To pause, to rest, to reflect, but this biblical word also means:
- A cue to pause, to lift up our hands, to praise God.
- A cue to lift our voices in exultation to the Lord.
- A cue to change our posture, placing ourselves on the ground at God’s feet.
- A Hallelujah! An Interjection—praising the Lord God Almighty!
Each day I pass over the bridge, I find myself looking out my driver’s door window to see the tree surrounded by the water, a tree that STILL Faithfully Stands.
With that image of the tree firmly planted in the middle of the stream of rushing water—
&
With the image of the psalmist David running to escape his son’s intent to take his life—
Let us pause to ask ourselves:
- How often do we take our eyes off the Lord and look instead at our problems?
- How often does our trust in the Lord seem to wane, to become faint?
Oh, how we must keep our eyes on the LORD!
- Alas, yes, we must cast our cares on HIM!
- Yeah, we who personally know Jesus as our Savior, must fall prostrate at our Father’s feet!
- Ahh, we who believe in Him, TRUST HIM—realizing HIS timing, HIS resources, & HIS plan is perfect!
“Salvation belongs to the LORD;
Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah” (The Psalms 3: 8 NASB)
Mandisa sang a beautiful melody that speaks about the way the LORD specifically places us, surrounds us, and uses us to encourage, but also to receive help and encouragement.
Pause today to listen to: “The One He Speaks Through.”
- Let us pause to praise our Lord—despite the struggle!
- May we pause to raise our hands and bow our heads to our God—no matter the trial!
& as the apostle Paul wrote to the believers living in Rome,
- Shall we proclaim the presence and power of Jesus, to the world surrounding us—even as the rushing waters rage around us!
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy
(The Letter of Paul to the Romans 8: 18 NASB)
to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
May I pause and exclaim—Hallelujah!