“Fear not,” “Don’t be afraid,” or their equivalent are phrases found at least 365 times in the Bible. As all teachers, God uses patterns to strengthen our confidence and understanding. Identifying patterns such as this can be an amazing and encouraging study. And the assurance gained in mining this and similar reminders is certainly appropriate for times like these.
Here is a pattern that can help strengthen our habit of contemplation. Often skipped over, it is a word found 70 times in Psalms and three times in Habakkuk. Here are some suggested meanings of the word SELAH:
- Stop and meditate (think, listen) before moving on.
- Ponder, weigh, and reflect on what you’ve just read.
- This is a place to pivot, to transition before continuing forward.
- Pause and ponder in God’s presence.
We’ve provided the references where you find SELAH and suggest that you stop reading and reflect on the verses it references. Consider why it is placed in this location and if there’s an application for you now. Exploring simple patterns is another way to grow your intimacy with God’s Word.
Enjoy, Embrace, Be Encouraged!
| PSALM 3:2 PSALM 3:4 PSALM 3:8 PSALM 4:2 PSALM 4:4 PSALM 7:5 PSALM 9:16 PSALM 9:20 PSALM 20:3 PSALM 21:2 PSALM 24:6 PSALM 24:10 PSALM 32:4 PSALM 32:5 PSALM 32:7 PSALM 39:5 PSALM 39:11 PSALM 44:8 PSALM 46:3 PSALM 46:7 PSALM 46:11 PSALM 47:4 PSALM 48:8 PSALM 49:13 | PSALM 49:15 PSALM 50:6 PSALM 52:3 PSALM 52:5 PSALM 54:3 PSALM 55:7 PSALM 55:19 PSALM 57:3 PSALM 57:6 PSALM 59:5 PSALM 59:13 PSALM 60:4 PSALM 61:4 PSALM 62:4 PSALM 62:8 PSALM 66:4 PSALM 66:7 PSALM 66:15 PSALM 67:1 PSALM 67:4 PSALM 68:7 PSALM 68:19 PSALM 68:32 PSALM 75:3 PSALM 76:3 | PSALM 76:9 PSALM 77:3 PSALM 77:9 PSALM 77:15 PSALM 81:7 PSALM 82:2 PSALM 83:8 PSALM 84:4 PSALM 84:8 PSALM 85:2 PSALM 87:3 PSALM 87:6 PSALM 88:7 PSALM 88:10 PSALM 89:4 PSALM 89:37 PSALM 89:45 PSALM 140:3 PSALM 140:5 PSALM 140:8 PSALM 143:6 Habakkuk 3:3 Habakkuk 3:9 Habakkuk 3:13 |