I grew up in a musical family. Mom played the violin, viola, and flute, and my sister aspired to become a professional cellist. I reached the point in my own musical studies where I needed to make a decision: continue to focus on the cello or have time to participate in some of the same activities as my friends. I chose to put aside my musical studies (except for a few months in high school when some friends and I thought about starting a band, and I tried to pick up bass guitar). However, the background of years spent studying music meant that when I began to study the Bible in greater depth, I grew incredibly interested in the Psalms, which traditionally were the sung prayers of the people of Israel.
At some point in seminary as I was preparing to preach on one of the Psalms, I noticed a word that had never been apparent to me before: “selah.” As an Atlanta native and a regular reader of the AJC, I recognized the word purely as the trademark conclusion to the great Furman Bisher’s columns. However, I’d never really examined this word. After reading a few commentaries, I realized that selah is one of those fun Hebrew words for which we have no good English translation, though we believe it to be a music term that denotes a moment of restful reflection in the singing of some of the Psalms.
In the midst of the words of praise for God, while cataloging some of the accomplishments the Lord has made for the good of the people of Israel, the Psalmist invites us to pause and reflect: “The Lord the Most High is awesome… He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. Selah.” At this point, we can choose to continue our reading, or as I prefer when I reach the selah, we can read over and over the verses that precede this invitation to rest. These moments always remind me of the fourth commandment: “Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy.” In these places of selah, we can find a place of mini-Sabbath rest with the Lord.