What does "selah" mean in the Bible?

Gesenius says, it is Silence, supposing it equivalent to the words, at rest. Dan. 4:4; as if Shelah and Selah were the same. Though I desire to read with shoes off my feet (for the place is holy, and I dread conjectures), it might, according to kindred words, mean raising. And so silence, as the result of one's rising from singing; for the idea of weighing is found in Lam. 4:2, in a good sense, comparable to gold; and also, in a bad sense Ps. 119:118, trodden down.

I observe that Selah is put often where a pause is natural, as after some peculiar statement; and thus, practically, I feel that it is pause, or silence, with Gesenius. More I cannot say.

The word Selah occurs 71 times in the Psalms. It means "To pause," with a secondary meaning to "lift up." We can take it as an indication that in reading we should pause, meditate and then lift up our hearts in praise and prayer.

A term occurring in Hab. 3:3, 9, 13, and many times in the Psalms. There have been various suggestions as to its meaning, but its signification is not really known. The Targum mostly renders the word 'for ever.' The LXX has διάψαλμα, denoting, as some think, 'a pause, a break or rest.' 'Pause, consider,' is perhaps its signification.

Se’lah (2) - Make prominent

In the blessed portion of the Word of God just referred to, there are three phases of heavenly worship. 1. The falling down of the twenty-four elders, and the casting of their crowns before the throne. (Rev. 4:10). 2. The singing of the New Song (Rev. 5:9-10) and 3. The final silent worship at the end. Which of those three great phases of heavenly worship will be fraught with the greatest degree of happiness for the worshippers, if one may use this expression about a place where every thing conveys the thought of perfect happiness, I do not venture to decide. We shall know it, when there, fellow-believer. But one thing I may venture to say, I think, without fear of being found fault with, except on the part of those who do not like "pauses;" namely, that that long, deep, and worshipful pause, following upon the act of the breaking of bread, which, when happy, generally occurs about the middle of the meetings for breaking of bread, is one fraught with deepest blessings for every heart taught by the Spirit to turn to account those precious minutes. In that heavenly scene just referred to, that pause concludes the whole, after the sound of the harps and the voices of the singers have ceased. Such a pause is like the "Selah" in the Psalms of David, which generally occurs after some important truth has been expressed. The "Selah," the pause in the music, and the "Yea, truly," comes in, when the Psalmist, the man after God's own heart, bade his harp rest for a moment, whilst his heart began to make melody in musing on some great truth, which, indited by the Holy Ghost, had just been uttered. For instance, "And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah." … "Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah." Would there were more such "Selahs," i.e., making melody in our hearts to the Lord, in the assemblies of God's saints! How often does it occur, that, when there has been a spirit of heaviness and dullness during the first part of the meeting, the tide turns and the time of blessing sets in with the breaking of bread. It is not the singing of hymns that stirs up the heart when there is a spirit of heaviness, but, if in spirit and truth, singing is the result of a heart moved by the grace of God, and by His Spirit. "O Lord, we know it matters not, How sweet the song may be; No heart, but by the Spirit taught, Makes melody to Thee."

Then there comes that little word "Selah" — stop! It is about time we did stop when we can actually question the mercy and graciousness of God.

At the end of verse 4 we meet that well known word, "Selah" — "pause and consider." Let us then consider these typical themes with a view to knowing them better and above all seeking to be characterized by them.

The Book of Psalms. This inspired collection of sacred songs, and of compositions of various character, has evidently the impress of God upon their arrangement. He selected them, gave them their present shape and form, gave one hundred and sixteen of them those untranslated headings or titles which are rarely read and still less understood. He gave to the whole collection its title, "The Book of Psalms" (Luke 20:42), and caused them to be numbered, too, for more easy reference, as "the Second Psalm" (Acts 13:33). The Psalms are inspired, and their arrangement is Divine. "Selah," that word of so frequent occurrence — about seventy times — signifies to pause or consider. Uniform tradition — Jewish and Christian — ascribes the compilation of the Psalms to Ezra on his return to Palestine after the Babylon-captivity. Human arrangement would have set the Psalms in chronological or historical order; but God has classified them in a manner befitting His glory. Whoever were the authors — and they are numerous (David, of course, principally) — the composition of the whole extended through a period of about a thousand years, commencing with Moses (Psalm 90) and ending with the return from Babylon (Psalm 137).

It will be observed that the word "Selah," meaning to pause or consider, occurs three times in the third chapter, as also about seventy times in the book of Psalms. This chapter also contains other points of resemblance to the Psalms. The character of the Chaldean power (Hab. 1) and the five woes pronounced upon it (Hab. 2) are foretold with an exactness, force of language, and striking imagery peculiar to our prophet. We heartily endorse the encomium of another who says "it were difficult to find words to set forth adequately the exalted claim and peculiar merits of this high minstrel of grief and joy, of desolateness and hope, of scorn and tenderness."

SELAH … Pause.