Do you “selah?”

TODAY’S PROVERB: Whoever despises instruction will pay a penalty, but whoever respects a mitzvah* will be rewarded. Proverbs 13:13

There’s a Hebrew word that I love — even though it can frustrate me sometimes. The word is Selah. 

One of the frustrations is that the meaning is a mystery for our modern understanding. Despite it being found seventy-four times in Scripture — mostly in the Book of Psalms, and also in Habakkuk — its meaning is uncertain. Some interpret it as meaning “silence” or “pause;” others, “end” or “a louder strain.”

I choose to think of it as a pause, which implies silence — time for reflection and listening.

For me, I struggle sometimes with pausing at the stressful moments. To take the necessary time to listen to instruction. Even when some kind soul takes the time to offer instruction, I can have trouble focusing enough to listen.

This happens when my perceived understanding is that I have to rush — I can’t pause for a few extra minutes to get the needed counsel to complete the task well.

Pausing is breathing. Pausing is slowing down our brain enough to listen and allow into our brain new instructions and insights that could alter the outcome. Pausing is humbling ourselves to accept something we need.

By practicing selah, we can better hear our Heavenly Father’s still small voice (1 Kings 19:12). And that’s a good thing.

May we pause and listen to instructions, my friends.

Proverbs 13:13, Tree of Life Bible Society, Tree of Life Version – TLV,  #tlvbible, #tlvproverbs

*Commandment