A String of Selah Pearls - Psalm 84:4

Positioned gracefully across the Book of Psalms is a string of seventy-one pearls, lovely beads of wisdom followed by the admonition SELAH which means, “Pause, think on these things, meditate.”   

Psalm 84:4 “Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.  Selah.”

Meditation

I want to live in God’s house.  I want to praise him forever.  I’ll take those blessings!

What could be sweeter than hearing the Word from the lips of its Author?  What could thrill more than standing beside my Savior singing praises to our Father? 

I want to learn to speak the heavenly language and form friendships with the angels.  I try to imagine meeting the patriarchs and laughing with them.

In heaven I’ll rejoice when I see aborted children alive and well—and when I recognize my loved ones and do some “catching up.”

In heaven I’ll learn to navigate the heavens,

            experience the reality of equality in Jesus

                        enjoy God’s eternal and unbroken presence.

All of these blessings and more . . . so much more!

SELAH

Look up: Psalm 23:6; Revelation 22:3; I Corinthians 13:1;

II Samuel 12:19-23; Galatians 3:28

A String of Selah Pearls - Psalm 68:32

Positioned gracefully across the Book of Psalms is a string of seventy-one pearls, lovely beads of wisdom followed by the admonition SELAH which means, “Pause, think on these things, meditate.”   

Psalm 68:32 “Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord, Selah.”

Meditation

“I can’t carry a tune in a bucket.”  So goes the saying, right?  But God just plain doesn’t care about that.  This pearl says we are to sing, sing praise to the Lord.

When Moses was reluctant to go to Pharoah because he didn’t speak well, God said, “Who gave man his mouth? . . . Is it not I, the Lord?”  If Moses was incapable of eloquent speech, then he could blame God; but he was to go anyway.  “Go, and I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

We are to sing, to praise, and to trust God to listen to our hearts, not our off-key notes.  So “Sing!” and God’s Spirit will help us, even teaching us what to sing.

If folks look at us funny, well, hey, there’s a reason for that  . . . only heavenly ears can hear the heart sing!

SELAH

Look up: Exodus 4:11

A String of Selah Pearls - Psalm 67:3-4

Positioned gracefully across the Book of Psalms is a string of seventy-one pearls, lovely beads of wisdom followed by the admonition SELAH which means, “Pause, think on these things, meditate.”   

Psalm 67:3-4 “May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.  May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth.  Selah.”

Meditation

Over the past century, a succession of unjust rulers have dominated the headlines, people like Saddam Hussein, Idi Amin, Pol Pot, Mao Tse Tung, Adolph Hitler and others. Millions died at their hands, and those who survived had horror stories to tell.

In contrast, God has governed the peoples of the earth with equity and justice. His rules are perfectly-written and publicly-proclaimed. Fair and merciful in his judgments, it can truly be said: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” (Psalm 33:12)

Heaven gets even better! We will see Him face to face.  His perfect love will cast out any remaining fear, freeing us to worship him as never before.  As representatives from all nations sing for joy in perfect harmony, our pure praise will fill the far reaches of the heavens—at last!

 

SELAH

Look up: Psalm 33:12; Hebrews 13:8; I John 4:16-21; Luke 1:47; John 4:23; I John 4:18