Selah - An Indepth Study

Hebrew word “Selah” - Pronounced “SAY’ - luh”.   
Also spelled: Sela, (Grk): Petra, (Calah), Sala, Sal, Salal, Solela.  These words all have integrated meaning from the root word meaning to lift/lifted up.

The exact meaning has been debated since the second century.
Since the 19^th century, it has become the focus of a handful of publications exploring it’s meaning and function in the Psalms.  The unearthing of the Dead Sea Scrolls offered a clue in understanding it’s use in the *Second Temple period.

It appears that the meaning and function of our word Selah has been missing in action since antiquity.
The Vulgate (Latin version of the Bible) offers the even more enigmatic semper, which means always. 
The Septuagint translated this word to mean through the Psalm, or inter-Psalmic – a division.

AS A VERB:  Strong’s Concordance states Selah is a live term in the *Second Temple Period.
What do you suppose they mean by a “live” term?  Read a little further and find out:

In Psalms & Habakkuk.  In Psalms, it appears 71 times in 39 Psalms.  Many of the lines that include selah use it as a conclusion or break in the stanza.  Thirty-one of these were directed to the choirmaster or director.  These uses easily reference selah as a type of musical instruction,  which strongly indicates that it represents a fairly common feature of Jewish worship, and particularly worship in the late Persian period. The use of this word was revived in the first century BC (says BDB Theological Dictionary), which makes it highly likely that the Jewish communities of the first century AD knew of it and probably used it, and that means we should expect to see it in the New Testament.  A key feature remains the achievement of a kind of mass-harmony. It seems to us that those Jewish communities enjoyed an ability to sing the way a flock of starlings may dance and pump: without central direction or plan but without anyone bumping into their neighbor.  Here, is the meaning of a "live" term.  After all, we are talking about the verb form.

 

In Habakkuk, it appears 3 times in Chapter 3:3, 9 and 13.  Here it calls us (as in most of the Psalms) to pause, reflect and praise God; to “lift up, exalt”.  It most commonly occurs per Psalm just once, or twice but it also occurs three times and once it occurs four times (in Psalm 89).

Haba. 3:9, In some translations “Selah” is omitted, in the original Hebrew text, at the end of 9a and at the end of verse 13. 

Recent studies show that if we develop a mindset of gratitude it will improve mood, decrease depression and improve sleep. Our bodies were designed to give praise and thanks to God.  By living a life of selah, lifting up the Lord, through controlled song and dance in our worship, that blessing returns to us.

AS A NOUN:  Sela refers to a “cliff or crag”.   Even when used to “lift up, exalt” it is a fitting definition for both the soaring cliffs of Petra (Greek for Sela) and the omnipotent God of Psalms, who deserves constant praise. 

Gen. 5:25, we find the name of MethuSelah, the oldest living man.  His name means “His Death Brings Desparing Rest”.  (Desparing means: unequaled.)  Selah can reference something unequaled.  The Flood came AFTER Methuselah died.  Can we see an unequaled period of devastation (or change), when there was a new beginning?  Could this also be the original meaning of the verb used in the Psalms to indicate a musical rest or a pause to praise?  The flood was a period of rest for Noah and his family.

Judges 1:36, refers to Sela as a place (a noun).

I Sam. 23:28, shows the word Sela as a place where Saul stopped pursuing David.  David went on to En Gedi (Oasis on west shore of Dead Sea) which is not far – both are in the southern and southwest area of the Dead Sea. Sela was Edom’s capitol.  Saul's search for David in Sela, was interrupted; could David have been hiding in the rock cliffs of Sela?

II Kings 14:7, references Sela as part of Edom (the capitol).  This verse could be transliterated as the king “took the rock by war”.  The meaning to Sela here is “rock”.  Selah was a specific city (possibly modern-day Petra), a stronghold noted in Edom.

 

Psalm 32:7, Selah highlights the very nature and character of God.  Good example in this verse: “hiding place” can reference Selah as a noun and “songs of deliverance” (praise of God) reference the word as a verb.  The overall message in this Psalm is one of human sin followed by divine deliverance.  (Sin = verb; deliverance = noun)

Isa. 16:1 references Sela as a place made of rock. 
Isa. 42:11 infers Sela is mountaintops. 
Isa. 63:1 references Edom, whose capitol is Sela.  Isaiah is describing the coming of Christ as vengeance for Edom’s persecution of His people.  (Will Edom/Sela shelter God’s people?)

Jeremiah 48:28, NIV says “rocks”.  Hebrew says “Selah”.  Greek says, “Petra”.  These three words reference the same thing: a place of rocky cliffs.

Daniel 11:41, predicts that Edom will be delivered.  Sela was the capitol of Edom.  Sela will be delivered.

Obadiah 1:1-3, Here Edom is referenced as having clefts of rocks – where Sela is.  It is easy to hide in the clefts of rocks.

In Habukkuk. 3:3, “God came from Teman (south of Jordan), from Mt. Paran.”  According to Rashi (a second century Hebrew historian) this references the giving of the Torah (the five books of Moses).  The Torah was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai.  We then conclude that Paran is another name for Sinai.  (Teman and Paran, are south of Judah, in Edom.  Edom is also in the area of Sinai.) 
* Simplify:  Mt Paran is in Teman – Torah was given from Mt. Sinai (also called Mt. Paran) – Both are in the southern area of Judah in Edom, who’s capitol city is Sela.
Different names of places are used possibly due to different times in history with different tribes and people inhabiting these areas and using variations of languages.

Haba. 3:19, In this verse, the term “high places” is referenced by some scholars as Sela.

Mt. 24:16, In this verse, the term “mountains” is referenced by some scholars as Sela.  (Matthew wrote in great detail to the Hebrew people.)  New Testament calls this Petra in the Greek. 

Lk. 21:1, Here, the word “mountains” is also referenced as Sela, by Bible scholars.  (N.T: Petra)

Rev. 6:15 & 16,  Scholars of the Bible interpret “rocks” and “mountains” as a reference to Sela just southeast of Dead Sea, which is in the south of Israel.

Rev 12:13 & 14 Read these verses with substituted words.  Interpretation: Dragon = Satan, woman = Israel, male child = Jesus, wings = airplane, wilderness = Sela, a time = one year, times = 2 years, half a time = six months. 

P.S:  Job 28:19, The price of wisdom, which is to seek and find answers in God’s Word, is worth more than pure gold.  The word “valued” (“compared” in the NIV is a mistranslation) is taken from “Calah” which is another term for Selah.  Is he saying, the place of Sela is of high value?   Also of great value is praising or listening for God (Selah as a verb).

My Research Summary:
Sela(h): noun = Sela, verb = Selah, Greek = Petra
For this word to be referenced so many times, it must be important.
Since it is hidden, is it a reference to the End Times and/or meant for us to “seek and find” a “pearl of great price” (as in Job 28:19)?

Sela was built during 3 periods: 18th century thru 2^nd century BC when it was destroyed by an earth quake; second century to 106 BC; and 106 BC to 363 AD.
Sela was the capitol of Edom (Heb: red); Edomites descended from Esau who had red hair. Gen. 36:43  
Mt. Seir is in Edom, southeast of the Dead Sea.  Gen. 32:3, 36:8,  Deut. 2:22.
Heb: Seir means “hairy” or “rides on the storm”.  Esau was known as being hairy with a temper.

Sela was capitol of Edom, land of Edomites, enemies of the Hebrew people, descendants of Esau.  God takes evil and turns it to good. 

Did David hide from Saul at Sela Before moving to the En Gedi Oasis?  I Sam. 23:25 & 28

As a verb it means a pause in prose where one listens and God speaks; His word is a resting place.
In Hebrew, as a noun, Sela means lofty, craggy rock, stronghold, cliff.  Jesus is our rock of safety.

 

The rocky cliffs of Sela (called Petra in the New Testament) glow golden red at sunset.  Dwellings and passageways are built into the walls with doorways and windows. There is only one way in and out; it is narrow.  This stronghold cannot be seen from the sky.

 

From the Hebrew alphabet (Alef-bet) the letters that make up the word, Sela, are hey, lamed and samech.  Hey (heh) references God’s grace.  Lamed (LAH-mehd) references a shepherd’s staff of protection.  Samech (SAH-mehkh) references a prop that lifts up.  Defining these letters in the word Sela/Selah we can define the word to represent the grace of God, the protection of our divine Shepherd and lifting up praise to both.

Question: Is the craggy cliffs of Sela where God will shelter His chosen people in safety during the tribulation?
AMEN

Thanksgiving

This year, my husband and I decide (actually I decided) we would stay home for our meal.  My husband's huge family is hours away and since his parents are both gone, his siblings have their own children and grandchildren to feast with.  My remaining family is hundreds  of miles away.  I always miss my grandmothers' recipes and wanted some leftovers on my favorite holiday of the year.

For the past ten years Steven and I have attended the community buffet meal provided by a large church in our small rural town.  It is always nice to see town folk that you know and don't know.  We sit at a large table with friends and neighbors who didn't cook for one reason or another.  Some are elderly and not well, some bring their family, some live alone and various other reasons that make a community meal so inviting.  Desserts, turkey and salads are always donated by the community and a jar is available for donations to help pay for the side dishes.  Volunteers from church and community start early to prep everything in the large kitchen and make deliveries to shut ins.  Sometime after the first or second shift, Santa shows up with small gifts donated by fire and police personnel.  It is an amazing community effort.

When I got up this morning, my thoughts went to friends and how they would be spending the day.  

I have one friend that has already had one holiday meal.  She is part of a family and extended family that can never decided when and who will host the meal.  Parents want one, in-laws want one and children want a meal with their parents and kids.   I envy her all the food but not all the fussing and hurt feelings that hang over this holiday.  All in all, my friend makes a great effort to appease everyone and look for the bright side.

Another friend will host a meal at her dining room table with family and be exhausted for days.  She prays all the grandchildren make it  home and anxiously accommodates  great grandchildren.   She loves her family.  Her house is decorated for Christmas and there is a parade on the television as prelude to the football game.  Lots of food from her kitchen and her children's.  They will have time to catch up on what each other has been doing lately and how they are contending with health and family issues.  Lots of talk across the table, coffee with the dessert buffet and sleepy heads afterwards.  

A neighbor friend is surely sad this year.  She is not able to cook and serve her family in the tradition she has created.  She has been fighting terrible infections for a couple months now, due to an injury that is not healing.  She has created a family that depends on her.  However, this is their chance to shine and take care of things for her, as I am sure they will.  This is the kind of woman who is always busy serving others and it will not be easy for her to sit and be waited on but well deserved.  It is important to be on the receiving end of the giving once in awhile.  We seldom stop to think of the great pleasure we derive from doing the serving.

I am concerned about another friend having health issues; seems like one after another for several years now.  She and her husband will be going to family for their meal and socializing.  Grandchildren will be visiting from the city with a new beau or news of a job promotion.  Some even bring pets with them, which are always accepted.  I am sure she will come home exhausted but oh so happy not to have clean up in her home this year.  It is so great to have family to share with.  

One friend I am particularly happy for this year.  She and her husband have been invited to the house of her daughter in the city for her meal.    It seems that for a reason, unknown to her, that the relationship between the two of them has been distant for several years.  This meal was her daughter's idea and my friend is elated.  It will  be a wonderfully special day for her.

Do you see yourself in any of these situations?  Steven and I do not have children, family is unaccessible and friends are preoccupied.  We are looking forward to our meal together with hearts full of gratitude for all of God's blessings which includes our marriage.  We always miss family but are making our own tradition.

I know that grace of great gratitude will be said at each table I have mentioned.  

May the Lord bless you and your family today with loving conversation, fellowship, great food and safe travels.

Amen

My Story

Privacy is something I value highly.  When we relocate, I will pack personal things so movers don't come in and pack the contents of my underwear drawer or see my toiletries.  I never could share a bathroom with a husband and have only two friends I will share a motel room with.  If I don't get "alone time", you can't stand to have me around.  Anyone out there understand what I am saying?

That said, when it comes to my past, I am an open book.  Like everyone else, I have had trials, temptations, failures and embarrassments.  I don't believe in regret.  I made bad choices (for whatever reason) and they were my choices.  I like to think that I have learned from them.  After all, I did do a full turn around at one point in my life.  There were times of great sorrow, fear, worthlessness and loneliness.  I have felt "lonely" but never "alone".

When I say that I did a full turnaround and repented of a life style, I don't mean all of a sudden I realized there was a loving being out there that created everything and His son came to save me to eternal life by paying the debt for everything I did wrong; although, all of that is true.  The thing is, I cannot remember a time in my life when I was not aware of God and His presence.   And, I can remember back to the time I was still sleeping in a crib. 

It amazes me that people do discover God in there teen years or even later in life.  They have great epiphany, a moment of awareness - that "aha moment".  I have a bit of jealousy for that.  It's like I missed out on all the excitement.  On the other hand, friends have told me that they envy the fact that I have always had this awareness just like many others - I am not unique.  Neither am I different.  We have trouble seeing our own life as valuable.

Okay, all this being said, let's get back to my story.   I once offered to give my testimony in church.  My pastor, at the time, had me jot down some highlights for review.  He called me into his study and denied my request on the grounds that "no one will believe it"  -  ?  Huh?  

I know that I have had an active life of varied interests, jobs, a career and, as stated before, great changes.  I am also far passed retirement age, so it has been a rather lengthy life.  The longer your life, the more stuff happens!  To keep this writing within some boundaries, I am using key words in summary form so you can get the idea without a lot of lengthy (and boring) script.    This also keeps my private side happy because I do not have to disclose all the embarrassing details.

As first born, Mother dedicated me at birth and sent me to church from the time I could step onto the bus. Things were pretty middle-income-normal until I was eight years old.
Parents divorced  
grandfather moved in
no financial support from my father  
first experience with rejection from a man
father never answered any correspondence
moved to a less expensive neighbor hood = inner city (big city)
dislexic before there was dislexia = thought I was stupid
step father = sexual abuse (me and my sister)
teenage baptism
molested by three teens on way to work
pregnant at 17 = gave up art scholarship
high school graduation = stopped going to church 
lost two children at birth
married and moved to Boston - moved to Long Island
betrayal by closest friend; changed the course of my life
husband cheated = another rejection and divorce
attacked by man in parking lot
married an alcoholic
various menial jobs
socialized in dive bars = all sorts of people
major auto accident - 44 stitches to face
grandfather died - my only earthly father
partial hysterectomy 
husband cheated = another rejection and divorce
found a roommate
single girl for awhile = dating
out of body experience
traveled = selling my art work
married a businessman = he traveled
he had two daughters = I was a step mother
moved to Alabama = nice home, pool, country club
continued traveling and selling art
husband turned out to be an embezzler
he cheated = another divorce and rejection
single scene again
still traveling with art work
met a portrait artist and became her apprentice = hired agents
continued travel 
complete hysterectomy 
married a country boy from Alabama = step mom, again
different life style in the "back woods"
he had a country band = I ran sound system
opened small town business = framing and portrait studio
he dealt in drugs = I went back to church
he cheated =  devastating divorce
considered suicide - had loaded gun in hand
got baptized and took it serious  
* No wonder the pastor said, "No one would believe it".

The out of body experience opened my eyes to my life style but I am a stubborn person and it was years later before I made major changes.  There were  highlights along the wrong path: travel, people and I never lost that feeling of God's presence.

I took that baptism 35 years ago serious and, like the prodigal son, my (heavenly) Father welcomed me back with open arms and all the blessings of my heritage that were just waiting for me.   Imagine that!  All I had to do was "come home".  (I am reminded of the Proverb: Raise a child up in the way He should go and he will not depart from it.)  My marriage, of 26 years, is to a great Christian man who is "the wind beneath my wings".  My business became successful.  Fear and anger no longer rule over me.

It did not happen over night.  There were trials and many errors along the way: health issues, decisions and major adjustments.  During this time, I learned to let God have control and it has made all the difference.

Lately, I have been reminded that we all have a story and as Christians, we need to share it with others.  It can take us out of our comfort zone but it is our story of how God, our Father, molds us to become what He calls us to.  Just maybe your story can help someone else.  If we just plant the seed, God will make it grow somewhere.
Amen!

  

Honoring God

"Blessed be the name of God", "Bless our God", "Blessed be God", Ever wonder how we puny human beings of this ever expanding universe can bless God? In Hebrew, whenever the word "blessed" is used with reference to God, it translates "kneel".   So . . . . when we make this statement, we are actually saying "I kneel before you." Before any reading the term "Baruk Atah Adonai" (Blessed be God/kneel before God) is said in reverence. What a beautiful sentiment to remind us of our humility before Him and his wonderful grace to us.

Cross nebula

Another place Jewish people show great reverence is in the book of Job in the Hebrew Bible.  In 2:9, Job's wife is quoted as saying "Curse God and die".   In the Tenach, this passage is better rendered "Bless God and die".  This reverence for the name of God will not allow the word "curse" to be next to God's name.  WOW!  Other translations of the Bible do not allow for this kind of honor. 

God's Eye constellation

David was special in God's sight because he praised (honored) God with his any Psalms. 

Solomon was special in God's sight because he built a magnificent temple to honor God.

Abraham honored God with his obedience.

Angels around the throne of God constantly honor Him with continuous song. 

The universe sings with praises.  If no one praises Him, the rocks will.  Recordings have been made of the sounds emitted by stars and planets.  All together, they ring like a chorus.

There are many ways to honor God and He rejoices with each one.  To honor Him is to acknowledge Him.

Kneel, pray, sing, give thanks, acknowledge Him, dance to Him and feel His presence.

Our Heavenly Father deserves to be honored.  God Loves You more than any human can.  God is absolute goodness.  God cannot see the sins of believers.  Believers will be raptured and will not be required to face judgement.  God answers prayer, heals, provides.  He created time and space (time and space) and gives you the air you breathe.  He restores life and forgives all who seek Him. 

How great is our God.  He deserves our honor.  Baruk Atah Adonai !  Kneel before His Majesty.
Amen