November 19, 2024 Selah
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Selah
Deliverance belongs to the Lord;
may Your blessings be on Your people. Selah
Psalm 3:8, NRSV
As I try to seize control over life and check the boxes on my list of “to do’s,” I can run ahead of God and wind up forcing square pegs of solutions into the round holes of troubles. When I do, I neglect the truth of today’s passage — Deliverance belongs to the Lord, not me. I forget to practice selah, that single Hebrew word inserted after a space at the end of today’s verse.
Though used 71 times over the 150 Psalms, its exact meaning is unknown and debated. However, it is thought to indicate an interlude, a pause for reflection on the preceding text, or in music the moment to take a breath before pressing on.
To practice selah in our day is to practice waiting upon the Lord to speak to us. Writing these daily devotionals (and hopefully your reading them) is one way we practice that pause – practice taking a breath to read His Word, reflect, and pray – before heading into our day or a task before us. And there are other moments where selah is the best next step. Besides over morning coffee and a devotional, we can also practice selah BEFORE…
- We talk or interrupt instead of actively listening and considering what another is saying.
- We react negatively or defensively to a comment, question, or situation.
- We hit “send” or “go” on a message born out of frustration or irritation.
- We gloss over or dismiss a Bible verse that is either familiar or that we consider a “throw away,” that is, less important compared to more theologically rich passages.
Selah is not optional. We need those regular pauses where we shut out the noise, wait upon the Lord, and listen for the voice of His Spirit calling, guiding, teaching, leading, counseling, or convicting. We need life-giving, re-energizing selah.
Reflect: Find some time this Thanksgiving season to read Psalm 3. Pause, reread, and reflect on one or all three of the verses that precede Selah. Listen for what the Holy Spirit is saying to you about your life or circumstances. How is God calling you to think differently or reorder your affections?
Pray: Lord, teach me to embrace the pauses in my life, to wait upon You, and listen for Your voice amidst the busyness of my days. Help me to practice selah, find those regular moments to reflect, seek Your guidance, and align my heart with Your will. Amen.
By His Grace,
Gloria Ashby
Lay Leader