† 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}; 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 Psalms, Field in Psalm 38:12); adds διάψαλμα e.g. Psalm 2:2; Psalm 34:11; Psalm 94:15, after final editing of Hebrew Psalter; so Psalms 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 [Psalm 9:16]); Sexta διαπαντός (except Psalm 20:4 [Psalm 20:3]> εἰς τέλος); Quinta εἰς τοὺς αιὦνας Jerome semper, usually לעלמא, לעלמין; but Psalm 39:6 [Psalm 39:5] לחיי עלמא, Psalm 44:9 [Psalm 44:8] לעלמי עלמין, Psalm 48:9 [Psalm 48:8] 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: + 71 times in 39 Psalms, + 3 times Habakkuk 3 (taken from Minor Psalter למנצח, see נצח); it occurs at end of Psalm 3:9 [Psalm 3:8]; Psalm 24:10; Psalm 46:12 (omitted by ), Psalm 9:21 ( combines 9 and 10); elsewhere at close of strophe, Psalm 3:3, 5; 4:3, 5; 7:6; 9:17; 24:6; 32:4, 5; 32:7; 39:6, 12; 46:4, 8; 47:5; 48:9; 49:13 (so read MT Psalm 49:14 by error) Psalm 49:16; 50:6; 52:5, 7; 54:5; 59:6, 14; 61:5; 62:5, 9; 66:4, 7; 66:15; 67:5; 68:20; 76:4, 10; 77:4, 10; 77:16; 81:8; 82:2; 83:9; 84:5, 9; 88:8, 11; 89:38, 46; 140:4, 6; 140:9; 143:6; or where citations have been made, Psalm 44:9; 55:8; 57:7; 60:6; 67:2; 68:8, 33; 89:5; Habakkuk 3:3, 9; or where extracts might be made for liturgical purposes, Psalm 20:4; 21:3; 55:20; 75:4; 85:3; 87:3; 87:6; 89:49; so Psalm 57:3 ( for MT Psalm 57:4) Habakkuk 3:13. — Of Psalms with סֶלָה, 23 used 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 + Psalm 80:8 [] (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); Psalms with סלה all (except 61, 81) name the kind of Psalm in title: 3 מִכְתָּם, 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 Psalms 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), 129 f.} Br^{JBL 1809} EGBriggs^{AM. J. Semitic Lang. Oct. 1899, 1 ff.}).

BLB Scripture Index of Brown-Driver-Briggs