Selah
Psalm 32:5
I acknowledge my sin to you, and my iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD…


The word signifies a vehement, a pathetic, a hyperbolical asseveration, and attestation, and ratification of something said before. Such, in a proportion, as our Saviour's "Amen, amen" is, "Verily, verily I say unto you"; such as St. Paul's "fidelis sermo," with which he seals so many truths, is, "This is a faithful saying"; such as that apostle's "Coram domino" is, with which he ratifies many things, "Before the Lord I speak it"; and such as Moses, "As I live, saith the Lord," and "As the Lord liveth." And therefore, though God be in all His words, Yea, and Amen, no word of His can perish in itself, nor should perish in us, that is, pass without observation, yet, in setting this seal of "Selah" to this doctrine, He hath testified His will that He would have all these things the better understood, and the deeper imprinted, that "if a man conceal and smother his sins, "Selah," assuredly, God will open that man's mouth, and it shall not show forth His praise, but God will bring him to fearful exclamations out of the sense of the affliction, if not of the sin; "Selah," assuredly, God will shiver his bones, shake his best actions, and discover their impurity; "Selah," assuredly, God will suffer to be dried up all his moisture, all possibility of repentant tears, and all interest in the blood of Christ Jesus.

(J. Donne, D. D.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

WEB: I acknowledged my sin to you. I didn't hide my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to Yahweh, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.




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