Besides
killing a bear, a lion, and a giant, David was also a musician who
played well enough to soothe King Saul. In the Bible, the Book of
Psalms is a book of songs. In his songs, quite often David included
small “hold-its” or pauses. You see them each time you read the
word “Selah”. Bible scholars all agree that Selah also means to
pause or wait just a bit. It is used as something like a musical
pause.
Time
and
timing
seem
to
be
woven
into
the
whole
fabric
of
our
existence.
Many
believe Selah also means to “pause and reflect” or “pause and
retaste”; what came before. This would be like smacking your lips
after having eaten a tasty morsel. I believe it is fitting and
consistent with scripture to assume God wants us to “taste again”
His printed words of truth. We should ask ourselves, “What have I
just read? What is the deeper meaning of the words I’ve just heard
preached?”
This
fundamental truth, to be learned early on, is that waiting long or
short periods has very profound purposes. Waiting on God is far from
just sitting on one’s hands and shifting the brain out of gear.
David gives us the simple process in Psalms 37:7:
Rest
in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of
him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked
devices to pass.
To
rest, wait patiently, and fret not requires that we acknowledge that
someone has the power and authority to control our circumstances.
Further, that we acknowledge that someone knows and cares about our
needs. Well, there is, and He does. Have you remembered the previous
topic teaching us that God cares and controls?
Read
that
‘Rest
in
the
Lord…’
verse
again
and
“Selah”
on
the
words
“Rest”,
“wait
patiently”,
and
“fret
not.”
That
verse
is
a
perfect
one
for
placing
over
the
kitchen
sink,
on
the
refrigerator,
above
your
desk,
inside
your
toolbox,
or
near
your
speedometer.
