In Proverbs chapter 4 gives some lovely wisdom for us to consider & pursue. And from verses 20 onwards, special attention is given to our senses & how we use them & respond to them. References to the ears, eyes, heart, mouth & feet are specifically mentioned.
So in verse 26, "ponder" the path of thy feet means that we are to give due consideration & forethought before we take our steps in life. So the idea is of using wisdom to anticipate what's ahead & what ramifications our decision to move in that direction will make (whether to us or others). And certainly, if "evil" or hurt/injury is anticipated, then in our 'pondering' we will wisely avoid it & take a different path. Or conversely, if the path we take is understood as being the correct one, we should stick to it & not detour to the "left or right".
I was taught that 'Selah' means to pause and think upon (ponder) what I'm reading. I had to learn to slow down. Found in Psalms and Book of Habakkah.
Many commentators think that Selah meant 'to pause' or 'to reflect'. This could have been a request for the reader or listener to pause and think about what has just been said, or it could have been a space for voices to pause and for instruments play alone. We don't really know for certain.
Regardless, the word Selah itself indeed causes us to pause and consider what God may be saying even when we don't fully understand. Selah gives us an opportunity to take a moment away from this crazy, busy, non-stop life we all tend to live and consider the immense mysteries and wonders of God. Paul speaks to this in Colossians 2:2-3, My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
So in verse 26, "ponder" the path of thy feet means that we are to give due consideration & forethought before we take our steps in life. So the idea is of using wisdom to anticipate what's ahead & what ramifications our decision to move in that direction will make (whether to us or others). And certainly, if "evil" or hurt/injury is anticipated, then in our 'pondering' we will wisely avoid it & take a different path. Or conversely, if the path we take is understood as being the correct one, we should stick to it & not detour to the "left or right".
Many commentators think that Selah meant 'to pause' or 'to reflect'. This could have been a request for the reader or listener to pause and think about what has just been said, or it could have been a space for voices to pause and for instruments play alone. We don't really know for certain.
Regardless, the word Selah itself indeed causes us to pause and consider what God may be saying even when we don't fully understand. Selah gives us an opportunity to take a moment away from this crazy, busy, non-stop life we all tend to live and consider the immense mysteries and wonders of God. Paul speaks to this in Colossians 2:2-3, My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
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