Bible Lexicons

 סֶ֑לָה verb lift up (voices in ברוך לעולם), or exalt (׳לעולם י) ( Imperative of סָלַל (compare Proverbs 4:8; Psalm 68:5; חִגָּיוֺן סלה Psalm 9:17, see ׳הִגּ), properly סֹ֑לָּה, סֶ֑לֶה possibly Qr = נֶצַה, Hexapla σελ but compare הֶ֑רָה Ew⁵⁵⁴ Kö ^{ii. 1,539}; ᵐ5 Symm Theod διάψαλμα, explanation Suidas μέλους ἐναλλαγή; Theodoret, Hippolytus μέλους μεταβολή (compare Hexapla Habakkuk 3:3 μεταβολὴ δια ψάλματος; Syriac, Hexapla Aq עוניתא in 5 Psalm , Field in Psalm 38:12); ᵐ5 adds διάψαλμα e.g. Psalm 2:2; Psalm 34:11; Psalm 94:15, after final editing of Hebrew Psalter; so Psalm of Song of Solomon 17:31; 18:10 on same principles as in MT; used therefore with full knowledge that it indicated some kind of interruption or change in the regular rendering. סלה is used in שמונה עשרה after Benedictions 3,18, and after other early Jewish prayers, shewing knowledge, approximately; Aq gives αἐί (Theod. also Psalm 9:17); Sexta διαπαντός (except Psalm 20:4 εἰς τέλος); Quinta εἰς τοὺς αιὦνας Jerome semper, ᵑ7 usually לעלמא, לעלמין; but Psalm 39:6 לחיי עלמא, Psalm 44:9 לעלמי עלמין, Psalm 48:9 עד עלמי עלמין, Psalm 49:14 לעלמא דאתי; uniform tradition best explained by closing contents of the Benedictions, מהעולם ועד העולם. So Jerome classes sela with amen and salom; and Jacob of Edessa in BarHebr. Psalm 10:1 compare Christian Amen of the people after Gloria); — this interpretation agrees with usage: 71t. in 39 Psalm , 3t. Habakkuk 3 (taken from Minor Psalter למנצח, see נצח); it occurs at end of Habakkuk 3:9; Habakkuk 24:10; Habakkuk 46:12 (omitted by ᵐ5), Habakkuk 9:21 (ᵐ5 combines 9,10); elsewhere at close of strophe, Habakkuk 3:3; Habakkuk 3:5; Habakkuk 4:3; Habakkuk 4:5; Habakkuk 7:6; Habakkuk 9:17; Habakkuk 24:6; Habakkuk 32:4; Habakkuk 32:5; Habakkuk 32:7; Habakkuk 39:6; Habakkuk 39:12; Habakkuk 46:4; Habakkuk 46:8; Habakkuk 47:5; Habakkuk 48:9; Habakkuk 49:13 (so read ᵑ0 Habakkuk 49:14 by error) Habakkuk 49:16; Habakkuk 50:6; Habakkuk 52:5; Habakkuk 52:7; Habakkuk 54:5; Habakkuk 59:6; Habakkuk 59:14; Habakkuk 61:5; Habakkuk 62:5; Habakkuk 62:9; Habakkuk 66:4; Habakkuk 66:7; Habakkuk 66:15; Habakkuk 67:5; Habakkuk 68:20; Habakkuk 76:4; Habakkuk 76:10; Habakkuk 77:4; Habakkuk 77:10; Habakkuk 77:16; Habakkuk 81:8; Habakkuk 82:2; Habakkuk 83:9; Habakkuk 84:5; Habakkuk 84:9; Habakkuk 88:8; Habakkuk 88:11; Habakkuk 89:38; Habakkuk 89:46; Habakkuk 140:4; Habakkuk 140:6; Habakkuk 140:9; Habakkuk 143:6; or where citations have been made, Habakkuk 44:9; Habakkuk 55:8; Habakkuk 57:7; Habakkuk 60:6; Habakkuk 67:2; Habakkuk 68:8; Habakkuk 68:33; Habakkuk 89:5; Habakkuk 3:3,9; or where extracts might be made for liturgical purposes, Psalm 20:4; Psalm 21:3; Psalm 55:20; Psalm 75:4; Psalm 85:3; Psalm 87:3; Psalm 87:6; Psalm 89:49; so Psalm 57:3 (ᵐ5 for ᵑ0 Psalm 57:4) Habakkuk 3:13. — Of Psalm with סֶלָה, 23used in Elohistic Psalter, 28 in Director's Psalter, 39 in final editing of Psalter. These editors found it in earlier Psalters. Davidic Psalter uses 20 of them, so few in proportion that it is not characteristic of this Psalter; but Korahite 9 (out of 12), and Asaph 7 + Habakkuk 80:8 [ᵐ5] (probably 8 out of 12); apparently it came into use in time of these editors. In Diretor's Psalter musical terms are added to 19 of the 28 it uses (and only to ten others, of which some could hardly use סלה); Psalm with סלה all (except 61,81) name the kind of Psalm in title: 3מִכְתָּם, 7 מַשְׂכִּיל, 10 שִׁיר, 26 (27) others מִזְמוֺר, Habakkuk 3 תְּפִלָּה; ׳ס is especially frequent with שִׁיר and מַשְׂכִּיל, terms associated with musical rendering. It probably came into use in late Persian period in connection with Psalm used with musical accompaniment in public worship, to indicate place of benedictions. It was not added by later editors to other psalms; but was revived in first century B.C., and continued in use for some time (see Jacob ^{ZAW xvi (1896), 129f.} Br ^{JBL 1809} EGBriggs ^{AM. J. Semitic Lang. Oct. 1899,1ff.}).