|
This Is Appendix 66 From The Companion Bible. Certain Hebrew words are retained in the
body of the text of the Psalms, being transliterated instead of
translated. Not forming any part of the title, super-scription or
sub-scription, they are considered here in a separate Appendix.
They are two in number, that is to say, H
The word is found in three Psalms : videlicet
9:16; 19:14, and
92:3.
The word occurs also in Lamentations
3:62, where it is
rendered in the Authorized Version "device", and in the
Revised Version "imagination".
It is derived from hagah, and means to
soliloquize, to speak to one's self; hence, to
meditate (Joshua 1: As a noun, it would mean a meditation,
or a speaking in premeditated words; and therefore worthy of memory or
repetition.
If the three Psalms be read in the light of this
word, we shall note the subjects which are so worthy of our meditation,
and not think about music.
In Psalm 9: In Psalm 19: In Psalm 92:
This word may be from one of two roots; from
salah = to pause; or from salal = to lift up.
There is no need to descend to the guesses as to
musical terms. A reference to Appendix 65 (Int.
Col. 1) will lead us to connect it with subject-matter, not
with music; and with truth, not with tunes.
Some say it occurs always at the beginning of a
strophe; others, always at the end. But this is a question of fact, and
not of argument.
The outstanding fact is that in four cases it comes
in the middle of a verse, that is to say, Psalm
55: This is fatal to both theories, but yet it helps us
to, and agrees with, the right conclusion, that both are the two halves of
one truth. Selah does connect the end of one strophe with
the beginning of the next; and, indeed, in four cases it connects the end
of one Psalm with the beginning of the next, thus uniting the two Psalms
(see Psalms 3 with 4; 9 with 10; 24 with 25, and 46 with 47).
Selah, therefore, neither ends nor
begins a passage, but it An examination of each occurrence will show what this
connection is. It is neither the pausing on one subject; nor the passing
on from one subject to another : but it is the connecting of the two
subjects together.
Sometimes it is the Structures which are connected.
Sometimes it is synthetic, and adds a development of
thought by connecting a prayer with that which forms the basis of it.
Sometimes it is antithetic, and adds a contrast.
Or it connects a cause with an effect, or an effect
with a cause.
It is a thought-link, which bids us
look back at what has been said, and mark its connection
with what is to follow; or to some additional consequent
teaching.
Thus, if it be derived from salah, to
pause, it is not the instruments of music which are to pause while the
voices continue to sing; but it is our hearts which are to pause and to
note the connection of precious truths.
If it be derived from salal, to lift
up, then, it is not the instruments which are to lift up their sound in a
louder degree, but our hearts which are to be lifted up to consider more
solemnly the two truths which are about to be connected.
These connections, showing the importance and object
of each "Selah", are given in the notes on each occurrence
of the word.
The phenomena connected with "Selah"
may be thus stated :
The word occurs seventy-four times in the Bible, and
all are in the Old Testament.
Of these, seventy-one are in the Book of Psalms, and
three are in the model Psalm, "the prayer of Habakkuk",
chapter 3.
The use of the word is confined to thirty-nine Psalms
out of the 150. In sixteen of these thirty-nine it occurs once (7, 20, 21,
44, 47, 48, 50, 54, 60, 61, 75, 81, 82, 83, 85, and 143) : of these
thirty-nine Psalms, thirty-one are in Psalms handed over to "the
chief Musician". (See Appendix 64.)
In fifteen Psalms it occurs twice (4,
9, 24, 39, 49, 52, 55, 57, 59, 62, 67, 76, 84, 87, and 88).
In seven Psalms it occurs thrice (3,
32, 46, 66, 68, 77, and 140).
In one Psalm it occurs four times,
videlicet, Psalm 89.
It is distributed over the five Books of the Psalms
(see page 720) as follows :
Book I (1 - 41), seventeen times in nine Psalms.
|