SELAH IN THE PSALMS
SELAH IN THE PSALMS
Virgil Warren, PhD
I. Derivation of סֶלָה
A. From the root סלה, “to rest” or “be silent.” סֶלָה (penult accent) is taken as a pausal form of סֶלָה (ultima accent), directing the leader to pause or be silent presumably for an instrumental interlude (Gesenius).It always has the same form.
B. From סלה, “to lift up” (Sampey, Leupold, and “most modern scholars”). It is thus a direction
1. to the orchestra “to raise” the volume of the accompaniment momentarily—like a fortissimo or sforzando.
2. to the reader “to increase” the volume of the reading.
3. to the congregation “to lift up” their voices in benediction—like an amen.
II. Against סלה, “to be silent”
A. It is a rather doubtful Hebrew root that does not seem to occur anywhere in the text of the Old Testament.
B. It would necessitate stopping the reading (though perhaps only for a pause like a sforzando, or emphatic blast of the accompaniment).
1. סֶלָה occurs (rarely) in the middle of a verse: Psalm 55:19; 57:3; Habakkuk 3:3;
3:9.
2. It sometimes occurs where there is no natural break in thought (see VII).
C. Selah, “to be silent,” would be superfluous at the end of a psalm.
1. Passages (see Chart IV): Psalm 3:8; 9:20; 24:10; 46:11; 88:10
2. For some reason, the Septuagint omits all the selahs at the end of the psalms except for Psalm 9, which it combines with Psalm 10. Whatever the reason, the LXX translators did not seem to understand סלה to mean “be silent” because they did not translate it that way.
III. In support of the root סלה, “to lift up”
A. It is a less obscure root—although that fact might tell against this derivation since its meaning was evidently uncertain by the time of Aquila (died about A.D. 150). Perhaps the meaning was lost during the exile, when the temple performance of the psalms was not possible.
B. The usages of סלה in the text of the Old Testament (Job 28:16, 19; Psalm 119:118; Lamentations 1:15) seem to come from this root.
1. It means “to value” in Job 28:16, 19 (“to lift up,” hence, “to suspend,” then “to
weigh”).
2. It means “to condemn” in Psalm 119:118; Lamentations 1:5. What can be raised
is light; hence, unimportant. Light and weighty are used this way in English for
“insignificant” and “important” respectively.
C. They are all poetic passages (as were the Psalms and Habakkuk).
D. The Job passages show that it was a root in use at a time early enough for all the usages in the Psalms.
E. The LXX always translates סלה with διάψαλμα. Symmachus and Theodotian usually do also.
1. διάψαλμα is a word of expression rather than silence. Διά means “through” or
“th(o)roughly”; ψάλλω means “to pluck an instrument.”
2. If סלה meant “silence” (for a musical interlude to be raised), the Septuagint
would not be translating directly, but would be using a word for what
occurred during the pause rather than referring to the pause itself.
F. In Job 21:12 the root סלה, meaning “to lift up,” is used in a musical context similar
to the proposed usage of סֶלָה: “They sing [lift up] to the timbrel and harp and
rejoice at the sound of the pipe.”
G. Selah does not necessitate interrupting the reading in those places where selah would seem to interrupt the thought.
IV. Charts regarding selah
Ref. LXX Description Author Poetic Type Musical Notations
3:2 διάψαλμα psalm David ind. lament Psalm of David
4 "
8 (omit)A
4:2 διάψαλμα psalm David on stringed instrumentsJ,
4 " Psalm of David,
for the chief musician
7:5 " ShiggaionC David ind. lament David
9:16 ᾠδὴ διαψάλματος psalm " for the chief musician,
(selah + set to MuthlabbernK,
HiggaionU) Psalm of David
9:20 διάψαλμαA psalm David
20:3 " psalm David royal for the chief musician,
Psalm of David
21:2 " psalm David for the chief musician,
Psalm of David
24:6 " psalm David Psalm of David
10 (omit)A
32:4 διάψαλμα maschilD David ind. praise David
5 "
7 "
[ " [David] [David]
34:10 =
33:11]
39:5 διάψαλμα psalm David ind. lament Psalm of David,
11 " for the chief musician,
for JeduthumL
44:8 " maschil sons of nat. lament for the chief musician
Korah?
46:3 " songE sons of set to AlamothM, song
Korah?
7 " sons of song
Korah
11 (omit)A
47:4 διάψαλμα psalm sons of enthronement for the chief musician, psalm
Korah?
48:8 " song, sons of song, psalm
psalm Korah?
49:13 διάψαλμα psalm sons of for the chief musician, psalm
Korah?
15 "
50:6 " psalm Asaph Asaph, psalm
[ " ["] ["] ["]
50:15 =
49:15]
52:3 διάψαλμα maschil David for the chief musician,
5 " Psalm of David
54:3 " maschil David ind. lament for the chief musician,
on stringed instrumentsJ,
David
55:7 " maschil David ind. lament David,
19H " for the chief musician,
on stringed instrumentsJ
57:3H " michtamE David ind. lament chief musician,
6 " (set to) AltashhethN,
David
59:5 " michtamE David ind. lament for the chief musician; David
13 "
60:4 " michtamE David for the chief musician,
set to Shushan EduthO
61:4 " David ind. lament for the chief musician,
on stringed instrumentsJ,
David
62:4 " psalm David for the chief musician,
8 " after the manner of
JeduthunP,
Psalm of David
66:4 " song; psalm ind. praise for the chief musician,
7 " song, psalm
15 "
67:1 " song; psalm for the chief musician,
4 " on stringed instrumentsJ,
song, psalm
68:7 " song; psalm David thanksgiving for the chief musician,
[ " David, song, psalm
68:13 =
67:14]
19 "
32 "
75:3 " song, psalm Asaph for the chief musician,
set to AltashethN,
Asaph, song, psalm
76:3 " song, psalm Asaph ind. lament for the chief musician,
9 " on stringed instrumentsJ,
Asaph, song, psalm
77:3 " psalm Asaph for the chief musician,
9 " after the manner of
JeduthunP,
15 " Asaph, psalm
[ " [psalm] [Asaph] nat. lament for the chief musician,
80:7 = set to ShoshannimQ
79:8]
81:7 " Asaph for the chief musician,
set to GittithR, Asaph
82:2 " psalm Asaph Asaph, psalm
83:8 " song, psalm Asaph nat. lament Asaph, song, psalm
84:4 " psalm sons of song of Zion for the chief musician,
Korah? set to GittithR, psalm
8 "
85:2 " psalm sons of chief musician, psalm
Korah?
87:3 " psalm sons of psalm
6 " Korah?
88:7 " song, sons of ind. lament for the chief musician,
psalm, Korah? set to Mahalath LeannothS,
maschil Heman the Heman, song, psalm
Ezrahite
10 (omit)A
89:4 " maschil Etham royal Etham the Ezrahite
the
Ezrahite
37 "
45 "
48 "
[ " [psalm] [David] [Psalm of David]
94:15 =
93:15]
140:3 " psalm David ind. lament for the chief musician,
Psalm of David
5 "
8 "
143:6 " psalm David ind. lament Psalm of David
Habakkuk
3:3H " prayerG Habakkuk set to ShiggionothT,
9H " for the chief musician,
13 " on my stringed instrumentsJ
Sigla: A = at the end of the psalm L = לִידיּתוּן [לִידוֹתוּן]
B = מִזְמוֹר M = עַל־עֲלָמוֹת(“set to the virgins”)
C = שִׁגָיוֹן N = אַל־תַּשְׁחֵת (“destroy not”)
D = מַשְׂכִּיל O = עַל־שׁוּשַׁן אֵדוּת (“set to lily of testimony”)
E = שִׁיר P =עַל־יְדיֹתוּן [ידוֹתון]
F = מִכְתָּם Q = אַל־שֹׁשַׁנִית
G = תְּפִלָּה R = עַל־הַגִּתִּית
H = in the middle of a verse S =עַל־מַחֲלַת לְעַנוּת (“set to dancings [?] with
I = לַמְנַצֵהַ shoutings”)
J = בִּנְגִינוֹת T = עַל־שִׁגְיֹנוֹת
K = עַלְמוּת לַבֵּן (“set to death of the son”) U = הִגָּיוֹן
V. Alternatives for explaining its usages
A. Selah is a word in the meaning of the psalm itself. Aquila so understood it in his Greek translation of the Old Testament and rendered it “always.” Jerome in his Latin vulgate followed Aquila, translating it “always” (semper).
B. Selah is a word of direction for the performance of the psalm.
VI. Against selah meaning “ever” or “always,” as part of the psalm itself
A. At least one passage would seem to be self-contradictory if this were the meaning of selah: Psalm 7:5 says, “Yea, let him tread my life down to earth, and lay my glory in the dust (always)”; whereas 7:6 calls for Yahveh to lift himself up against David’s enemies and deliver him.
B. Some passages already contain the element of eternity:
1. Psalm 44:8: “And we will give thanks to your name forever (always).”
2. Psalm 48:8: “God will establish it forever (always).”
3. Psalm 55:19: “God will hear and answer them, even he that abides of old
(always).”
4. Psalm 89:4: “I will establish your seed forever, and build up your throne to all
generations (always).”
C. The action in some passages is punctiliar rather than linear. It is an action or event
that occurs once instead of continually or many times.
1. Psalm 49:15: “But God will redeem my hand from the power of Sheol, for he
will receive me (always).”
2. Psalm 52:5: “He will take you up, and pluck you out of your tent, and root you
out of the land of the living (always).”
3. Psalm 57:6: “They have dug a pit before me; they have fallen into the midst
thereof themselves (always).”
4. Psalm 81:7: “I tested you at the waters of Meribah (always).”
5. Psalm 87:6: “Yahveh will count when he adds up the peoples; this one was
born there (always).”
6. Habakkuk 3:3: “God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran
(always).”
D. There is no known Hebrew root in (ה) +ל+ ס with the meaning “always.”
E. The LXX puts the translation of סלה on a separate line (unless this is simply an
editorial device of Ralphs).
F. The sense is always complete without it; it stands apart syntactically.
VII. In favor of selah meaning “life up,” relating to the orchestral performance of the psalm
(rather than to the reader or audience)
A. The LXX’s word ψάλλω, “to pluck,” fits with “lifting up”—as in a musical interlude.
B. It usually stands in the middle of the psalm.
1. All references but five
a. 69 of the 73 usages in the Hebrew text
b. The LXX adds 5, always in the middle of the psalm: 34:10 (= 33:11); 50:15 (= 49:15); 68:13 (= 67:14); 80:7 (= 79:8); 94:15 (= 93:15). It omits those at the end of the psalms (and 88:10).
2. Those at the end of the psalms (3:8; 9:20; 24:10; 46:11) may be like fanfare
postludes.
C. It frequently stands at the major breaks in the text.
1. passages where natural breaks occur:
a. Psalm 3:2, 4, 8 forms the outline most expositors offer.
3:1-2: quotation about the psalmist
3:3-4: answer to the psalmist
3:5-8: praise by the psalmist
b. Psalm 7:5 (following Leupold’s outline)
7:1-2: a plea for help
7:3-5: a protestation of innocence
7:6-7: a plea for vindication
7:8-10: a plea for a just verdict
7:11-13: a prediction of overthrow
7:14-16: the unhappy end of evil men
7:17: a resolve to praise God
c. Psalm 24:6, 10
24:1-6: declaration
24:7-10: commandment
d. Psalm 32:4, 5, 7 (See Wolf’s outline)
32:1-2: proclamation
32:3-5: narration (3-4, recounting; 5b, recounting deliverance)
32:6-7: acknowledgement
32:8-11: instruction
e. Psalm 34:10 (LXX only)
Psalm 34:1-10: praise God for help
Psalm 34:11-22: instruction
f. Psalm 44:8
44:1-8: address and introductory petition
44:9-16: lament proper
44:17-22: confession of trust
44:23-26: petition and motivation
g. Psalm 46:3, 7
46:1-3: the scene of danger
46:4-7: the scene of peace
46:8-11: an invitation to come
h. Psalm 47:4
47:1-4: a call to the nations to praise God
47:5-8: a call to Israel to praise God
47:9: submission of the Gentiles
i. Psalm 48:8
48:1-3: the indwelling of the Lord
48:4-8: an instance of God’s protecting Zion
48:9-11: exhortation to praise God
48:12-14: the glories of Zion transmitted to posterity
j. Psalm 49:15 (verse 13 seems unnatural)
49:1-4: a solemn introduction
49:5-12: wealth unable to buy off death
49:13-15: contrast of those who do or do not trust in wealth
49:16-20: wealthy unable to take wealth with them
k. Psalm 50:6 (LXX adds 50:15)
50:1-6: God’s appearance for judgment
50:7-15: rebuke for formalistic worship
50:16-21: rebuke for the wicked in Israel
50:22-23: closing admonition
l. Psalm 52:5 (verse 3 seems unnatural)
52:1-5: the denunciation of Saul
52:6-9: the fortunate lot of the righteous
m. Psalm 54:3
54:1-3: a prayer for deliverance
54:4-7: confident assurance of a help
n. Psalm 59:13
59:1-5: prayer for deliverance
59:6-10: confidence in God
59:11-13: imprecatory prayer
59:14-17: further confidence amid danger
o. Psalm 62:4, 8
62:1-4: resignation toward God
62:5-8: invitation to resignation
62:9-12: futility of all help but God’s
p. Psalm 66:4, 7 (verse 15 does not seem to be a natural break)
66:1-4: universal praise of God
66:5-7: mighty works
66:8-12: special deliverance
66:13-20: response of an individual helped in distress
q. Psalm 76:3, 9
76:1-3: description of recent deliverance
76:4-6: God’s glory has been exalted
76:7-9: men stand in awe of God’s judgment
76:10-12: God’s praise established in every way
r. Psalm 77:15 (verses 3 and 9 are not major divisions)
77:1-10: the psalmist’s perplexity about God
77:11-15: recollection of God’s work in the past
77:16-19: passage through the Red Sea
77:20: conclusion
s. Psalm 83:8
83:1-8: danger
83:9-18: prayer for retribution
t. Psalm 84:4 (verse 8 not a definite break)
84:1-4: blessing of having access to the house of God
84:5-7: blessing of fellowship with God daily
84:8-9: prayer for blessing on the king
84:10-12:
u. Psalm 87:3, 6
87:1-3: praise of Zion
87:4-6: Zion’s ancient enemies among her citizens
87:7: the spirit animating Zion’s festive gatherings
v. Psalm 89:4, 37, 45 (verse 48 not a major division)
89:1-4: address
89:5-37: confession of trust
89:38-45: lament proper
89:46-52: petition and motivation
w. Psalm 140:5, 8 (verse 3 not a definite break)
140:1-5: prayer for personal deliverance
140:6-8: confidence in prayer
140:9-11: prayer for enemies’ overthrow
140:12-13: assurance for deliverance
2. Listing of passages where unnatural breaks occur
a. breaks in the middle of a verse: Psalm 55:19; 57:3; Habakkuk 3:3, 9
b. others: Psalm 4:2, 4; 9:16; 21:2; 49:13; 52:3; 57:6; 60:4; 61:4; 67:1, 4; 68:7 (LXX adds 13), 19, 32; 75:3; 77:3, 9; 81:7; 82:2; 85:2; 89:48: 140:3
3. Summary
a. 37 occurrences at major divisions of the outline
b. 4 occurrences in unnatural breaks
c. 23 occurrences where there are no major divisions
D. It occasionally stands with recurring elements for emphasis
1. Psalm 39:5, 11: appears after “Surely every man (at his best estate) is altogether vanity”: it makes breath (vanity) a key word.
2. Psalm 66:4, 7, 15: precedes (4, 15) the commands to come and hear; the other (7) precedes another major imperative.
3. Psalm 46:7, 11: follows the expression the God of Jacob is our refuge.
E. It does not appear frequently per psalm.
1. It appears only once in 15 psalms.
2. It appears twice in 15 psalms.
3. It appears three times in 7 psalms and in Habakkuk 3.
4. It appears four times in only one Hebrew text (i.e., Psalm 89: add Psalm 32 and Psalm 68 in LXX).
5. It never occurs in successive verses.
F. Selah appears in 7 psalms whose headings mention an instrument.
1. Psalms that mention instruments in the title and use selah in the body: 42, 54, 552, 762, Habakkuk 33.
2. The two exceptions are Psalm 5 and Psalm 6.
3. That phenomenon involves 13 of the 74 occurrences of selah.
G. Selah appears in 37 of the 96 psalms composed by known instrumentalists (in 17 of the 24 written by other than David; perhaps the difference is due to the fact that David flourished before the temple worship was fully established with its set patters of accompaniment).
1. In 20 of the 72 Davidic psalms (according to the Hebrew text)
a. In Psalm 33, 42, 7, 92, 20, 21, 242, 323, 392, 522, 54, 552, 572, 592, 60, 61, 622, 682, 1403, 143.
b. Not in Psalm 5, 6, 8, 11-19, 22-23, 25-31, 34-38, 40-41, 51, 53, 56, 58, 63-65, 69-70, 86, 101, 103, 108-110, 122, 124, 131, 133, 138-139, 141-142, 144-145.
2. In the one psalm of Heman the Ezrahite, Psalm 88. Heman is mentioned elsewhere in 1 Kings 4:31; 1 Chronicles 6:33; 15:17, 19; 16:41, 42; 25:1, 42, 52, 6; 2 Chronicles 5:12; 29:14; 35:15. He sang before the tabernacle (2 Chronicles 6:32-33); he was one of the three first-level musicians at the time of David (1 Chronicles 15:17); he was a player of brass cymbals (1 Chronicles 15:19), of trumpets (1 Chronicles 16:42), harps, and psalteries (1 Chronicles 25:1), and horn (1 Chronicles 25:5).
3. In one psalm of Ethan the Ezrahite, Psalm 89. Ethan, Heman, and Asaph appear together in 1 Kings 15:19; 1 Chronicles 6:22, 39, 44.
4. In 7 of the 12 psalms of Asaph (in Psalm 50, 75, 762, 81, 82, 83; but not in Psalm 73, 74, 78, 79, 80).
5. In 9 of the 11 psalms by the sons of Korah. The sons of Korah were Levites according to 2 Chronicles 20:19, who praised God during the reign of Jehosophat. The succeeding contexts in verses 20-22 recount Jehosophat’s appointing certain ones to sing to the Lord and go out before the army in “holy array.” “Holy array” best fits the sons of Korah mentioned previously. If so, then they were also musicians; because, upon their return from the successful campaign, the text says, “They came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets to the house of Yahveh” (20:28). Heman was a musician who composed Psalm 88, which is also attributed to the sons of Korah. Heman was a Levite and probably the specific “son of Korah” who composed Psalm 88. Thus the sons of Korah were probably instrumentalists as well as singers
6. In Psalm 44, 463, 47, 48, 492, 842, 85, 872, and 882; but not in Psalm 42, 45.
H. Selah appears in 7 of the 15 psalms that say “set to ______.”
1. In 1 psalm “set to Methlabben” (Psalm 9);
In 3 of the 4 psalms “set to Altashheth” (Psalm 57, 59, 75; but not in Psalm 58);
In the 1 psalm “set to Mahalath Leannoth” (Psalm 88);
In the 1 psalm “set to Shushan Eduth” (Psalm 60);
In the 1 psalm “set to Alamoth” (Psalm 46).
2. Not in the 1 psalm “set to Mahalath” (Psalm 53);
Not in 2 psalms “set to the Sheminith” (Psalm 6, 12);
Not in the 1 psalm “set to Aijeleth Hash-Shachar” (Psalm 22);
Not in the 3 psalms “set to Shoshannim” (Psalm 45, 69, 80);
Not in the 1 psalm “set to Jonath Elem Rehokim” (Psalm 56).
I. Selah occurs in 20 of the 57 psalms called מִזְמוֹר (root זמר, “to touch, to strike, to play an instrument").
1. in Psalm 3, 4, 9, 20-21, 24, 39, 47-50, 62, 82- 85, 87-88, 140;
2. not in Psalm 5-6, 8, 12-13, 15, 19, 22-23, 29-31, 38, 40-41, 63-68, 73, 75-77, 79-80, 92, 98, 101-102, 108-110, 139, 141
J. A summary of observations
1. Although selah does not always appear in psalms whose titles have some sort of musical element, it never appears in a psalm that lacks some sort of musical element.
2. It never appears in a psalm that has no title: 1, 2, 10, 33, 43, 71, 72, 90, 91, 93, 97, 99, 104, 105-107, 111-119, 135-137, 146-150.
3. It does not appear in the songs of ascents—even though David’s name is attached to 122, 124, 131, and 133—presumably because the worshipers used them along the way on the pilgrimages to Jerusalem rather than in the temple. Music would be more difficult to supply while traveling.
4. Selah appears in 6 of the 17 psalms that mention a musical instrument:
harp (כִּנּוֹר, Psalm 33:2; 43:4; 49:4; 57:8; 71:22; 81:2; 92:3; 98:5; 108:2; 137:2; 147:7; 149:3; 150:3);
instrument (כִּלִי, Psalm 71:22);
organ (עוּגָב, Psalm 150:40);
ten-stringed instrument (עָשׂוֹר, Psalm 33:2; 92:3);
timbrel תֹּף), Psalm 81:2; 149:3; 150:4);
timbrel (תֻּפָּף, Psalm 68:25(;
trumpet (הֲצֹצְרָה, Psalm 98:6);
trumpet (שׁוֹפָר, Psalm 47:5; 81:3; 98:6; 150:3);
cymbal (מְצִלְתַּיִם, Psalm 150:5);
viol (נַבֶל, Psalm 33:2; 57:8; 71:22; 81:2; 92:3; 108:9; 144:9; 150:3).
So, selah appears with instrument indications in Psalm 47, 49, 57, 68, 81, 87; but not in Psalm 33, 43, 71, 92, 98, 108, 137, 144, 147, 149, 150.
christir.org