The Upper Room Devotion for Wednesday, July 12, 2023, was written by Linawati Santoso of East Java, Indonesia.
Scripture
1 O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; 2 many are saying to me, “There is no help for you in God.” Selah! 3 But you, O Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head. 4 I cry aloud to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah! 5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.
6 I am not afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. 7 Rise up, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. 8 Deliverance belongs to the Lord; may your blessing be on your people! Selah!
Psalm 3:1-8 NRSV
SELAH
In January 2021, I lost my primary job. My salary from that job paid for my family's daily needs. I had another job, but the salary was not paid monthly. I stressed, and I found it difficult to find a new job.
In times of stress I remember the word Selah, which appears often in the Psalms 3, David has fled from his son Absalom. though scholars do not know the exact meaning of Selah, I wander if David included it to mean "take a breath" or "pause and reflect" on the meaning of the words. After David sang, "I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill," I wander if he stopped singing and said to himself, Do not worry, God will give you deliverance. When I was stressed over losing my job, I felt that God gave me Selah to help me remember that rather than worrying I can pray, praise, and worship God.
The word Selah in Psalms 3 does not mean the singing is finished. After Selah, David once again began praising God. When I am stressed, I remember to pause and then continue praising God, trusting that God cares for me and hears my prayers.
Prayer
Dear God, in times of hardship, remind us to rest in your steadfast love and mercy. Amen. - Linawati Santoso