As we have heard, so have we seen in the city
of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God;
God will establish her forever. Selah
Psalm 48:8
The word Selah (SAY-luh) is found 71 times in the Psalms and three times in chapter 3 of Habakkuk. It was added later when the psalms were used in Temple worship.
Typically, we skip over the word when reading the Psalms because its meaning is uncertain, and we don’t know why it’s there.
You may notice it but move on quickly because it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with what the Psalm is saying otherwise.
So, what does Selah mean in the Bible?
And does it have any significance for us today?
Let’s look at four possibilities.
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What Does Selah Mean in the Bible?
It’s uncertain what the Hebrew word Selah means in the Bible. We only know that it was added later and is most likely a musical term. As such, scholars continue to debate its definition and root word. Most English Bible versions simply use the Hebrew word without attempting to define it. However, there are four explanations that stand out because of Selah’s possible connection to other Hebrew words: it may be a musical notation signaling an interlude or pause, an instruction for the musicians to lift up their voices, or a sign for the worshipers to stop, look, and listen to what was just said. A fourth possibility is Selah is like saying “Amen.”
1. Musical Notation Signaling An Interlude
Most agree that the word Selah is a musical or literary notation since it’s found mainly in the Psalms. It’s also in the 3rd chapter of Habakkuk.
And according to the Moody Bible Commentary (p.1392), Habakkuk 3 is a “prayer in the form of a psalm.”
Even though Christians don’t usually sing the psalms, the ancient Jewish people did in the temple and still do today in synagogues.
The NLT translates Selah as “Interlude” but says in the notes that the meaning of the word is uncertain. It also agrees it’s a musical or literary term.
And my NASB Ryrie Study Bible says in the introduction (p.798) that Selah is “probably a musical notation signaling an interlude or change of musical accompaniment.”
Some say Selah is an interlude because of its possible connection to the Hebrew word salah, “to pause.” But in looking at the various Strong’s Concordances, salah means “to forgive or pardon.”
2. Lift Up Your Voices
A second meaning, “to lift up your voices,” goes along with being a musical or literary term and a signal to the choir.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck (p.782) says, “Selah…may indicate when the worshipers were to ‘lift up’ their voices (perhaps Selah is related to salal, ‘to lift up or elevate’).”
My CSB Apologetics Study Bible note (p.642) says, “Selah, which may mean ‘lift up,’ was an instruction for the musicians and was inserted when the psalms were adapted to temple service. It could also be an interlude during which instruments played (1 Ch 15:16), but its meaning is uncertain.”
If Selah is related to the Hebrew word salal, “to lift up,” this could very well be what it means.
Interestingly, the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance says the Hebrew word Selah (5542) means “to lift up, exalt.” But my Strongest Strong’s Concordance by James Strong (p.1542) declines to give Selah (also Sela, 5542) any meaning.
3. Stop, Look, and Listen
Selah may also be related to another Hebrew word, calah (also sala, 5541), “to hang up, i.e., weigh,” or “to tread down (under foot), value.” The idea is that during the interlude or pause, you would reflect on the words just sung and weigh their value.
J. Vernon McGee, in his book, Thru the Bible (p.672), says, “I think selah was probably a musical rest or pause. For the common layman who does not understand much about music, it means, ‘Stop, look, and listen.’ That is the type of sign you have at railroad crossings.”
I don’t normally stop at railroad crossings unless the light flashes and the bar goes down, but this morning I was behind a school bus. As I watched the bus stop and the driver open the door to look and listen, I thought about the word Selah.
The Amplified Bible adds, “pause and calmly think about.”
So, possibly, selah is a pause or interlude so you can reflect on what was just said.
4. Amen
Ellen Lloyd at Ancient Pages tells of a music expert, Suzanne Haik-Vantoura, who thinks it’s none of the above. Haik-Vantoura believes selah is like saying “Amen” at the end of a prayer. It stresses the importance or reality of what was said.
The word Amen means “so be it.” It’s a way of acknowledging or accepting the words that were said. However, I’m unsure if pausing and reflection were part of it.
If Haik-Vantoura is correct, the musicians were saying “so be it” to the words they just sang.
And in another article on Selah’s meaning, Sheila Alewine says, “In Jewish tradition, as we read Selah, we are saying to God, “may it be forever.”
Selah in Psalm 3
The word Selah is found three times in Psalm 3–after verses 2, 4, and 8.
Read the following and think about which meaning seems to fit best. Or it could be more than one.
O LORD, how my adversaries have increased!
Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul,
“There is no deliverance for him in God. Selah. (Psalm 3:1-2)
I was crying to the Lord with my voice,
And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah. (Psalm 3:4)
Salvation belongs to the Lord;
Thy blessing be upon Thy people. Selah. (Psalm 3:8)
Did the musicians pause while the instruments kept playing? Or did the singers lift their voices? Perhaps they stopped singing to reflect on what they had just sung, or they said “Amen” before continuing.
We may never know for sure what selah means, but it can have significance today if you take the word to mean “pause and reflect” or “Stop, look, and listen.” You might even say a hearty “Amen.”
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Final Thoughts
As you can see, it’s difficult to answer the question, “What does Selah mean in the Bible?”
Almost everyone agrees that the word is a musical notation. Beyond that, several interpretations have been suggested.
If Selah is related to another Hebrew word or even a combination of Hebrew words, it could mean:
- Pause (Salah)
- Lift up your voice (Salal)
- Stop, look, and listen (Calah)
- So be it (Amen)
To see what a few other Bible commentators say, read Selah: What Does It Mean and How Does it Change How We Read Scripture.
What do you think Selah means?