Sē’lah

Meditations for Ragamuffins

October 26, 2023

Sē’lah 

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.

Psalm 3:5

Near the end of King David’s reign, his son Absalom led a rebellion against David and seized the throne of Israel. This incident is included in Gene Edward’s book, A Tale of Three Kings, which chronicles David’s relationship with both King Saul and his son Absalom. (I believe this book is a Christian classic and should be in the personal library of every Christian.) Psalm 3 was written by King David during Absalom’s rebellion. David responded to the revolt by expressing his deep trust in God: if God wants me to be on the throne, no one can take it away; if God doesn’t want me on the throne, there is nothing I can do to keep it.

It is during adversities, both big and small, that the depth of our Life in Christ is revealed. The adversity may involve something as simple as someone being rude or cutting us off in traffic, or perhaps we see everything we have worked for being lost through divorce, business failure or personal bankruptcy. How we respond to these circumstances reveals what we believe about God and how deeply Christ has transformed our life.

The word Sē’lah is used three times in Psalm 3. I believe this is a very important word. Regrettably the NIV translation drops this word. The NRSV keeps the word Sē’lah, and the NLT translates the word as, Interlude, which comes close to describing its meaning. But Sē’lah is more than an interlude; in this context, it is taking the time to think and reflect on what has been written. David’s circumstances had not changed, but he was able to rest because he knew the Lord was watching over him. Taking the time to reflect on God’s nature allowed David to lie down and sleep during his greatest adversity.

The Apostle Paul captures David’s heart in his letter to the Philippians: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7).

My Takeaway: When you are facing adversity, make time to Sē’lah, to pause and reflect on God’s nature. Remember that the Lord is watching over you, and rest in the assurance of His love for you.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2023 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.