01-31-2008, 04:31 PM
cbell14 Wrote:I was wondering what the word Selah meant in Psalms?
In the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, this Hebrew word appears only in the Book of Psalms/Tehillim (many times), and in the Book of Habakuk (3 times). The first occurance in the Psalms is in verse 3:3. The Artscroll Tanach Series, Tehillim Volume 1, p. 75, has a commentary on the meaning of this word, and brings the following opinions:
The Talmud (Tractate Eruvin 54a) states that it means "forever" or "without an end," and points to verse 48:9 as a primary example.
Ibn Ezra says that it signifies a reaffirmation of a preceding statement, so it has the connotation of "true and certain." He also suggests that it is a musical instruction, indicating to a singer to raise the voice.