Psalms 88:7 — Word Study
WLCעָ֭לַי סָמְכָ֣ה חֲמָתֶ֑ךָ וְכָל־ מִ֝שְׁבָּרֶ֗יךָ עִנִּ֥יתָ סֶּֽלָה׃
BSAto setshîyth pitbôwr lowertachtîy darknessmachshâk depthmᵉtsôwlâh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עָ֭לַי | on me | Preposition, suffix |
| סָמְכָ֣ה | it has lain | Verb, Qal, perfect third person feminine singular |
| חֲמָתֶ֑ךָ | anger your | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| וְכָל־ | and all | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| מִ֝שְׁבָּרֶ֗יךָ | breakers your | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| עִנִּ֥יתָ | you have afflicted [me] | Verb, Piel, perfect second person masculine singular |
| סֶּֽלָה׃ | Selah | Particle |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Your wrath weighs heavily upon me; all Your waves have submerged me. Selah |
| KJV | Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah. |
| ASV | Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, And thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. [Selah |
| YLT | Upon me hath Thy fury lain, And [with] all Thy breakers Thou hast afflicted. Selah. |
| WEB | Your wrath lies heavily on me. You have afflicted me with all your waves. Selah. |
| BBE | The weight of your wrath is crushing me, all your waves have overcome me. (Selah.) |
Where they part company is חֲמָתֶ֑ךָ — see How Translations Differ.
One main verb governs the clause, with two phrases providing additional detail about the psalmist's experience of suffering.







8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbבְּ
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 88:7
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Lament of Sufferinggenerated
Psalm 88:7 captures the psalmist's anguish as he feels crushed under the weight of God's anger. This lament is part of a larger expression of sorrow, where the psalmist feels isolated and overwhelmed by both divine wrath and personal suffering, as seen in the surrounding verses. The psalmist's cry reflects a deep emotional struggle, resonating with the themes of despair and longing for relief.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 38:1 | O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath. |
| 2 | Psalm 90:7 | For we are consumed by Your anger and terrified by Your wrath. |
| 3 | Psalm 102:10 | because of Your indignation and wrath, for You have picked me up and cast me aside. |
| 4 | Job 6:4 | For the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me. |
| 5 | Job 10:16 | Should I hold my head high, You would hunt me like a lion, and again display Your power against me. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חֲמָתֶ֑ךָ, cha.ma.Te.khagenerated
The word חֵמָה (*chemah*) denotes intense anger or rage, often depicted as a consuming fire. It is used in the context of divine wrath, highlighting the severity of God's displeasure. The parsing shows it as a feminine singular noun, indicating a specific instance of anger directed towards the psalmist.
This term conveys not just the emotion but also the destructive potential of unchecked anger, both human and divine. The psalmist's choice of this word emphasizes the weight of the emotional burden he carries, feeling that he is submerged in the consequences of this divine wrath.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verbs סָמְכָ֣ה and עִנִּ֥יתָ govern the clauses, describing the psalmist's experience under God's wrath and the waves of trouble. The structure reveals a cause-and-effect relationship, where the psalmist's affliction is directly linked to the overwhelming nature of divine anger.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the subject's suffering, with the prepositional phrases detailing the nature of the burden and the waves that submerge him. This arrangement highlights the psalmist's emotional state and the weight of his circumstances.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the translators used the Greek word κατωτάτῳ, which conveys a sense of being brought low or humbled. This choice reflects a narrowing of focus from the Hebrew's broader implications of anger to a specific state of being overwhelmed.
The translation indicates a shift in emphasis, where the Greek rendering captures the essence of the psalmist's despair while potentially softening the intensity of the divine wrath expressed in the Hebrew.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 88:7 expresses the psalmist's feeling of being overwhelmed by God's anger and the troubles that surround him. He feels as if he is drowning in waves of despair, highlighting his emotional turmoil and isolation.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist is expressing the burden of feeling God's intense anger, which he perceives as crushing and oppressive.
The waves symbolize overwhelming troubles that engulf the psalmist, illustrating his sense of being submerged in despair.
Selah indicates a pause for reflection, inviting the reader or listener to contemplate the weight of the psalmist's words.
This verse encapsulates the central theme of despair and isolation, as the psalmist laments his suffering and the absence of relief from God.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I felt overwhelmed by my circumstances, similar to the psalmist's experience?
- How can I better understand the emotions expressed in the psalms when I face my own struggles?
- What does it mean for me to reflect on God's anger and my own feelings of despair?
- How can I find hope and comfort in the midst of overwhelming troubles?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators, such as Augustine of Hippo, reference this verse to discuss the nature of divine anger and its impact on the faithful.
"Your indignation lies hard upon Me" [Psalms 88:7], or, as other copies have it, "Your anger;" or, as others,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 88 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 88:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe wrath lieth hard upon me,.... So some good men apprehend, when they are under afflictive dispensations of Providence, and are left of God, and have not his immediate presence, and the discoveries
Read John Gill on Psalms 88 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me - as a heavy burden (Psalms 38:3-4). Thou hast afflicted (me) with all thy waves.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 88 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThy wrath; either, first, the sense of thy wrath; or rather, secondly, the effects of it; as the next clause explains this. With all thy waves; with thy judgments, breaking in furiously upon me like the waves of the sea.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 88 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 88:7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted [me] with all thy waves. Selah.Ver. 7. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me] So it did upon David, Psalms 32:3, but especially upon the Son of David, the Lord Christ, of whose sufferings these were but types, or as chips of his cross. And thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves] But all this while it is thy doing, and that carrieth comfort in it.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 88 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(7) And thou hast afflicted.—Literally, And thou hast pressed (me) down with all thy breakers, supplying the object, and taking the accusative in the text as the instrument, as in Psalms 102:23, where the same verb is used (Authorised Version, “weakened”).
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 88 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 7. Thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves.] The figures in this verse seem to be taken from a tempest at sea. The storm is fierce, and the waves cover the ship.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 88 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges7. Thy wrath &c.] Cp. Psalms 32:4; Psalms 38:2. thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves] Cp. Psalms 42:7 for the metaphor.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 88 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThy wrath lieth hard upon me - Presses me down; burdens me. The meaning is, that that which was the proper and usual expression of wrath or displeasure - to wit, bodily and mental suffering - pressed hard on him.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 88 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Your wrath weighs heavily upon me; all Your waves have submerged me. Selah
Your wrath lies heavily on me. You have afflicted me with all your waves. Selah.
Your wrath weighs heavily upon me; all Your waves have submerged me. Selah
Your anger bears down on me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. (Selah)
Tyndale line
Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.
Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, And thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. [Selah
Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah
Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.
Thine indignation lyeth vpon me, and thou hast vexed me with all thy waues. Selah.
Strictly literal
Thy fury lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted [me] with all thy waves. Selah.
Upon me hath Thy fury lain, And [with] all Thy breakers Thou hast afflicted. Selah.
Your fury has lain on me, || And You have afflicted [with] all Your breakers. Selah.
(88:8) Upon me lieth heavily thy fury, and with all thy billows hast thou afflicted me. Selah.
Your wrath lies heavy on me, and all your waves crash over me. Selah
From the Latin
For who in the clouds can be compared to the Lord: or who among the sons of God shall be like to God?
Simplified
Your hostility crushes me; you are drowning me under your crashing waves. Selah.
The weight of your wrath is crushing me, all your waves have overcome me. (Selah.)
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with five of the seven words matched. However, the Septuagint's structure and word order differ from the Hebrew, reflecting its own interpretative choices.
עָ֭לַי סָמְכָ֣ה חֲמָתֶ֑ךָ וְכָל־ מִ֝שְׁבָּרֶ֗יךָ עִנִּ֥יתָ סֶּֽלָה׃
5 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 88:7
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bs
סָמַךְ (samakh) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lean, lay, rest, or support. It encompasses various actions such as propping up, sustaining, and bracing oneself. The word appears in different forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Piel, indicating different nuances of support and sustenance. Notably, it is used in contexts that can be both favorable and unfavorable.
סָמַךְ 48 vb. lean, lay, rest, support
Qal 41
lean or lay hand upon
intrans. thy wrath hath rested upon me
support, uphold, sustain
Niph. reflex. support, or brace oneself
Pi. sustain (refresh, revive) me with raisin-cakes.
base
H5564 סָמַךְ lean, lay, rest, support
5564 camak saw-mak'
a primitive root; to prop (literally or figuratively);
reflexively, to lean upon or take hold of (in a favorable or
unfavorable sense):--bear up, establish, (up-)hold, lay,
lean, lie hard, put, rest self, set self, stand fast, stay
(self), sustain.
סָמַךְ (sa.makh) — to support.
1) to lean, lay, rest, support, put, uphold, lean upon
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lean or lay upon, rest upon, lean against
1a2) to support, uphold, sustain
1b) (Niphal) to support or brace oneself
1c) (Piel) to sustain, refresh, revive
HVqp3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singularHVqp3fs
The Hebrew word חֵמָה (*chemah*) primarily means heat and rage, encompassing concepts like fever, poison, and burning anger. It can refer to human anger as well as divine wrath, and is noted in Daniel's vision. The entries highlight its figurative use related to intense emotions and reactions.
חֵמָה, (once חֵמָא) 121 n.f. heat, rage
heat:
fever
venom, poison
burning anger, rage:
of man
of the he-goat in Daniel's vision
of God
base
H2534 חֵמָה, (once חֵמָא) heat, rage . heat: . fever
. venom, poison
. burning anger, rage: . of man
. of the he-goat in Daniel's vision
. of God
2534 chemah khay-maw'
or (Dan. 11:44) chemaC {khay-maw'}; from 3179; heat;
figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever):--anger, bottles,
hot displeasure, furious(-ly, -ry), heat, indignation, poison,
rage, wrath(- ful). See 2529.
see HEBREW for 03179
see HEBREW for 02529
חֵמָה (che.mah) — rage.
1) heat, rage, hot displeasure, indignation, anger, wrath, poison, bottles
1a) heat
1a1) fever
1a2) venom, poison (fig.)
1b) burning anger, rage
Aramaic equivalent: che.ma (חֱמָא "rage" H2528)
HNcfsc/Sp2ms — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp2ms
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
HC/Ncmsc — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.
(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.
(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).
מִשְׁבָּר (mishbar) refers to a breaker or wave, specifically in the context of the sea. It is derived from the root meaning to break. The term is consistently associated with the imagery of billows and waves.
[מִשְׁבָּר] n.[m.] breaker, of sea
base
H4867 מִשְׁבָּר
4867 mishbar mish-bawr'
from 7665; a breaker (of the sea):--billow, wave.
see HEBREW for 07665
מִשְׁבָּר (mish.bar) — wave.
breaker, breaking (of sea)
HNcmpc/Sp2ms — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp2ms
עָנָה (anah) is a Hebrew verb with a range of meanings related to affliction and humility. It can denote being occupied, as well as being bowed down, depressed, or afflicted. The word has various forms, including ways to humble oneself or to afflict others, and it appears in contexts of discipline and humility, particularly in relation to fasting.
[עָנָה] vb. be occupied, busied with
base
[עָנָה] vb. be bowed down, afflicted
Qal
be put down or become low, of song of triumph
be depressed, downcast
be afflicted
Niph.
humble oneself
be afflicted
Pi.
humble, mishandle, afflict
humble, a woman by cohabit.
afflict as a discipline
humble, weaken
Pu.
be afflicted, in discipline by God
be humbled by fasting
Hiph. afflict, in discipline
Hithp.
humble oneself
be afflicted
humble oneself in fasting
base
H6031a עָנָה be occupied, busied with H6031b עָנָה be bowed down, afflicted .. be put down or become low, of song of triumph
. be depressed, downcast
. be afflicted
. . humble oneself
. be afflicted
. . humble, mishandle, afflict
. humble, a woman by cohabit.
. afflict as a discipline
. humble, weaken
. . be afflicted, in discipline by God
. be humbled by fasting
. afflict, in discipline
. . humble oneself
. be afflicted
. humble oneself in fasting
6031 `anah aw-naw'
a primitive root (possibly rather ident. with 6030 through
the idea of looking down or browbeating); to depress literally
or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (in various
applications, as follows):--abase self, afflict(-ion, self),
answer (by mistake for 6030), chasten self, deal hardly with,
defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble (self), hurt,
ravish, sing (by mistake for 6030), speak (by mistake for
6030), submit self, weaken, X in any wise.
see HEBREW for 06030
see HEBREW for 06030
see HEBREW for 06030
see HEBREW for 06030
עָנָה (a.nah) — be occupied.
(Qal) to be occupied, be busied with
עָנָה (a.nah) — to afflict.
1) to afflict, oppress, humble, be afflicted, be bowed down
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be put down, become low
1a2) to be depressed, be downcast
1a3) to be afflicted
1a4) to stoop
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to humble oneself, bow down
1b2) to be afflicted, be humbled
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to humble, mishandle, afflict
1c2) to humble, be humiliated
1c3) to afflict
1d4) to humble, weaken oneself
1d) (Pual)
1d1) to be afflicted
1d2) to be humbled
1e) (Hiphil) to afflict
1f) (Hithpael)
1f1) to humble oneself
1f2) to be afflicted
Aramaic equivalent: a.nah (עֲנָי "to afflict" H6033)
HVpp2ms — Verb · Piel · perfect second person masculine singularHVpp2ms
סֶ֫לָה (selah) means to lift up or exalt. It is primarily recognized as a musical term indicating a pause or interruption, often found in the Psalms. The word is derived from a root meaning 'suspension' and appears frequently in the context of music, suggesting accentuation.
סֶ֫לָה vb. lift up, or exalt;—this interpr. agrees with usage: 71 t. in 39 ψψ, 3 t. Hb 3
base
H5542 סֶ֫לָה lift up, or exalt
5542 celah seh'-law
from 5541; suspension (of music), i.e. pause:--Selah.
see HEBREW for 05541
סֶ֫לָה (se.lah) — Selah.
§ 1) to lift up, exalt
1a) Selah
1a1) a technical musical term probably showing accentuation, pause, interruption
HTj — ParticleHTj
se'-la.
See MUSIC, II, 1.
Selah
A word frequently found in the Book of Psalms, and also in Hab. 3:9, 13, about seventy-four times in all in Scripture. Its meaning is doubtful. Some interpret it as meaning “silence” or “pause;” others, “end,” “a louder strain,” “piano,” etc. The LXX. render the word by daplasma i.e., “a division.”
This word, which is found only in the poetical books of the Old Testament, occurs seventy-one times in the Psalms and three times in Habakkuk. It is probably a term which had a meaning in the musical nomenclature of the Hebrews, though what that meaning may have been is now a matter of pure conjecture. (Gesenius and Ewald and others think it has much the same meaning as our interlude,--a pause in the voices singing, while the instruments perform alone.)
A musical term which occurs seventy-three times in the Psalms, and is found also in Hab 3:3,9,13. It usually occurs at the end of a period or apostrophe, but sometimes at the end only of a clause. This difficult word, it is now generally believed, was a direction for a meditative pause in the singing of a psalm, during which perhaps there was an instrumental interlude.
