Selah

This word was used 74 times with 3 times in the Habakkuk and the rest in the Psalms. The concordance would tell us that it’s a musical pause or suspension to stress the importance of the preceding passage. It basically informs the singers, musicians and readers to pause and consider. It brings a sense of abruption. We want to continue but asked not do so. It is like taking stock.

Be still, and know that I am God: …….
(Psa 46:1a)

The word ‘Selah’ means to stop and consider, meditate… and know that He is God. Sit still and know is the best advice Naomi gave to Ruth (Ruth 3:18). God can’t do what He sovereignly desires to do if we continue to 'help' Him out. By doing this we neglect the opportunity to know the saving power of our Redeemer (read Psa46). The Psalmist seems to be telling us that there is no knowing I AM redeems us outside of stillness. We must not meddle in God’s divine working in us.

God showed the bold, busy, miracle working, antithetical, call down fire from Heaven prophet that He speaks in stillness (1 Kings 19:12). God could be screaming at us, but He won’t because He knows that we can’t receive save we ‘Selah’. Like Elijah we want to know God in the spectacular. He patiently waits to prove us wrong. When God speaks in stillness, there is a reviving deep within which caused the prophet to complete his pilgrimage. We too can be revived to be overcomers to the end. Just ‘Selah’.

Jesus knew He had to withdraw from preaching, healing the sick, raising the dead, forgiving sins and all that He does as the Son of God into the mountains, away from the crowd to be with the Father. Getting intimate with Father requires a departure from our busy-ness. One can never know God in busy-ness. Jesus knew the wealth of ‘Selah’, how much more we.

Determine to take time to ‘Selah’, that is the way to know our I AM God.