which the blessed Augustine interprets, a pause, an interruption or discontinuation of the psalmody: as, on the contrary, he interprets ovμaμa, a making or continuation of the psalmody. He observes also, that wherever

aua or SELA is put, a change of the subject or of the persons is signified. And with him agrees Cassi

odorus.

The blessed Hieronymus to Marcella, adducing many authorities from Origen, thinks that the word more truly signifies, a connection of the preceding things in the Psalm with those that succeed: or, certainly, that those things which are said are eternal. And hence Aquila, a most diligent expounder of the Hebrew words, has translated it, 'ever,' or 'for ever."

Burgensis on the eighty-third Psalm, says, that it has no signification at all, but is only a supplement to the music, and has nothing belonging to it but the music to which it is joined. And he denies that it has any such signification as 'for ever;' that therefore it is found no where but in the Psalms, because they are canticles, and sung or said to music; and that it is found in one canticle of Habakkuk, and only once in that canticle; in this passage, "And the Holy One from Mount Paran." Habak. iii. 3.

Burgensis is closely followed by a more recent writer, Stapulensis; who thinks that SELA was of the same signification, with the Hebrews, as the vowels EVOV are with us in our ecclesiastical responses: which are the signature to a pause or final tone, and signify," For ever and ever. Amen:" but they are not sung with the response, though they are joined to it in

the music.

John Reuchlin in his Hebrew Rudiments brings forward two opinions. The one, that of Jonathan the Chaldean; who, he says, translated SELA, 'in the power of ages. To which translation, Rabbi Eleazar, added, that to whatever portion of the holy scripture Sela is added, that scripture will have no end, either in this world or in that which is to come.'-The other opinion, is that of Abraham Ben Esdras; who thinks

that SELA is of the same signification as 'verily' or 'truly; and he says that this interpretation was received by the Hebrews; and that in their opinion also it has no meaning, excepting that it is joined to the music; as Burgensis has also observed.

SUCH a diversity of opinions, therefore, causes me to confess that I know not which of them comes the nearest to the truth. But the arguments which move me to dissent from all that they have advanced are these.

First: The examples taken from the Psalms and from Habakkuk do not agree together. For the SELA which is found in the latter, though it favours the opinion of Augustine, yet it makes against Hieronymus; because it is the subject that is changed, not the person; nor are the things which precede and those which follow connected by it. And yet, this same instance makes against them both; because, it is sometimes placed at the end of the Psalins, and sometimes repeated in the midst of the words of the same person in the same continued exhortation: as may be seen in the third and fourth Psalms: for at the end of the third Psalm it is said, "Thy blessing is upon thy people, Sela :" and, in the fourth Psalm it is said, "Be filled with compunction in your own hearts upon your beds; Sela. Offer the sacrifice of righteousness." Here is a continued exhortation of the same person to the same persons; and yet SELA is found in the middle of it; which makes against Augustine: and, as it is found at the end of the Psalm preceding, that makes against Hieronymus.

And even if the opinion of each be defended in any manner, either with respect to Sela signifying a connection or a distinction of subjects or persons: yet, even then, no reason can be given why it should not equally be put in all the Psalms where there is either a connection or distinction of subjects or persons: for it might in many instances be put with much greater appropriateness for that purpose, than where it is now found; as obvious to every observant reader.

And, that it does not signify 'for ever,' (as Bur

gensis rightly thinks,) is evidently proved even by the verse now before us, which saith, "There is no help for him in his God. Sela." For who, I pray, would be so mad as to assert that Christ, or any righteous man, could be in eternal tribulation without any salvation of God? for Psalm viii. 5, saith that it was for a little time,' and short, as we shall hereafter see. And Psalm lxxxiii. 8, it is said, "Assur is also joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Sela." Did then Assur help the children of Lot for ever? In a word, Sela, received as bearing that sense, will accord with very few verses indeed. For when it is said Psalm iv. 2, " And seek after lying," and, verse 4, "Be filled with compunction on your beds," does it signify that the sons of men shall be filled with compunction, and shall seek after leasing 'for ever?'

The remaining opinion, therefore, is that of Burgensis: which I neither approve nor disapprove though it may be said against him, Why should this appendage of music be affixed to these, and not to other passages also?

that

I, in the mean time, will stand by the LXX. Translators, who, in many instances, seem to have had a certain divine discernment, though they frequently departed from the literal propriety of the original words. As, for instance, how clearly and appropriately did they render passage, Psalm ii. 12, "Lay hold on discipline;" which is in the Hebrew, though somewhat obscurely expressed, "Kiss the Son?" For truly, to embrace Jesus Christ, is, to embrace discipline and the cross, and, as Paul is wont to say, 'to have fellowship with Christ in his sufferings.' For otherwise, many may confess that they know Christ, while in works they deny him. But, not he that talks about Christ, but he that lives according to Christ crucified, shall be saved. And to live according to Christ crucified, is, to be crucified; as says, Gal. xi. 20, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live: yet not I but Christ liveth in me." And so, with respect to their dialaλua: what they meant to convey by it as to grammatical signification I

Paul

know not: I shall divine its mystical meaning. And they seem after their manner to intimate a mystery when they made bold to interpret it a division,' 'a pause,' or a resting;' which Sela, in the Hebrew, does not signify nor were they a little moved by the consideration of the certainty, that no one letter, point, or iota, is written in the scriptures in vain.

According to my bold way, therefore, I imagine this 'pause' to signify a certain particular affection of the mind, which the person feels while singing or meditating on the Psalms, under the movings of the Spirit: which affection of mind, as it is not in our own power, cannot be commanded by us in every psalm nor in every verse, but only as the Holy Spirit shall move us. Therefore, the word Sela is introduced confusedly and altogether without certain order, to show, that the motion of the Spirit is secret, unknown to us, and by no means possible to be foreseen by us: and that, wheresoever it comes, it requires us to omit the words of the psalms, that the mind may be in a pausing and quiet frame, and in a state for receiving the illumination or feeling conveyed to us. Thus, in this verse, where that singular temptation of the spirit is spoken of, under which an angry God is sustained, and not the creature only; the prophet is moved to contemplate and dwell upon it with a deep affection of the mind.-Such is my opinion, without any prejudice against the judgment of others. And let this suffice concerning the word, SELA.

Verse 3.-For thou, O Lord, art my helper, my glory, and the lifter up of my head.

David here contrasts three things with three; helper, with many troubling; glory, with many rising up; and the lifter up of the head, with the blaspheming and insulting. Therefore, the person here represented is indeed alone in the estimation of men, and even according to his own feelings also: but in the sight of God, and in a spiritual view, he is by no means alone, but protected with the greatest abundance of help: as Christ saith John xvi. 32, Behold, the hour cometh when ye shall

leave me alone and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.'

Hence, such an one is weak and oppressed according to outward appearance, and in the sight of men, but before God and in the spirit he is most strong; and therefore he glories in the power of God with all confidence, like the apostle, 2 Cor. xii. When I am weak then am I strong most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.' And Psalm lxviii. 9, 'It was weary and thou didst confirm it.'

And so also, according to man, and the views of the unwise, such a person is in despair, and there is no salvation left for him in God. But, in the "secret place of thunder," he is heard and lifted up: according to that of Psalm lxxxi. 7. "Thou calledst in trouble and I delivered thee, I answered thee in the secret place of thunder." And truly it is in the "secret place" of thunder for this thunder-storm of tribulation so hides the knowledge of our being heard, and of salvation, that any thing but salvation appears in view; and not a hearing God, but an angry God only, is felt.

He that has understood and experienced these things, will also know well how foolishly and rashly many teach, that a man can, naturally, love God above all things but there is no man, left to his own nature, who does not dread death and the punishments that follow death, being unable to endure the hell and the wrath of God let in upon him. And God cannot be loved above all things, unless all these things be overcome by the love of God.

Hence, the words contained in this verse are not the words of nature, but of grace; not of free-will, but of the spirit of strong faith; which, even though seeing God, as in the darkness of the storm of death and hell, a deserting God, acknowledges him a sustaining God; when seeing him as a persecuting God, acknowledges him a helping God; when seeing him as a condemner, acknowledges him a Saviour. Thus this faith does not indge of things according as they seem to be, or are felt,