Fashion -- 19th century -- Periodicals; United States -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Women's periodicals, American
THE WORD "SELAH."--The translators of the Bible have left the Hebrew
word Selah, which occurs so often in the Psalms, as they found it; and,
of course, the English reader often asks his minister, or some learned
friend, what it means. And the minister or learned friend has most often
been obliged to confess ignorance, because it is a matter in regard to
which the most learned have, by no means, been of one mind. The Targums,
and most of the Jewish commentators, give to the word the meaning of
_eternally forever_. Rabbi Kimchi regards it as a sign to elevate the
voice. The authors of the Septuagint translation appear to have regarded
it as a musical or rhythmical note. Herder regards it as indicating a
change of tone; Matheson as a musical note, equivalent, perhaps, to
the word _repeat_. According to Luther and others, it means _silence_.
Gesenius explains it to mean, "Let the instruments play and the singer
stop." Wocher regards it as equivalent to _sursum corda_--up, my soul.
Sommer, after examining all the seventy-four passages in which the word
occurs, recognizes in every case "an actual appeal or summons to Jehovah."
They are calls for aid and prayers to be heard, expressed either with
entire directness, or, if not in the imperative, "Hear, Jehovah!" or
"Awake, Jehovah!" and the like, still earnest addresses to God that he
would remember and hear, &c. The word itself he regards as indicating a
blast of trumpets by the priests. Selah, itself, he thinks an abridged
expression used for Higgaion Selah--Higgaion indicating the sound of the
stringed instruments, and Selah a vigorous blast of trumpets.
* * * * *
WE never have "assisted" at one, as the French say; but, from the
description that follows, we should like very well to join a "sugar
party"--a sweet business:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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