RR Psalm 66:3,4 Part 2

Shalom,

Psalm 66:3 Say to God: “How awesome are Your deeds! Because of Your great power, Your enemies cringe before You. 4 All the earth bows down to You, and sings praises to You. All sing praises to Your Name.” Selah

“Selah” is used 3 times in this Psalm.  It is a word that signifies to the musical conductor that this is a place to pause and allow everyone listening to meditate on what they have just heard.  “Selah,” hold on, lets pause here and allow our hearts to catch up to what our minds have just heard.  What is worthy of our prolonged attention?  Let’s see…

We are speaking to God in a prayer of adoration.  “Ma Norah” is Hebrew for “how awesome.”  The word for “awesome” is “Norah.”  The etymology is from “Yara” meaning “fear,” sometimes translated literally as dread, frighten, or be afraid.  How unfortunate.  Many words have literal meanings and figurative meanings.  Figuratively, “Norah” means to show reverence.  

When speaking of our attitude toward God, there is paralyzing fear (to be afraid of the beating an all powerful God could give us) and there is life giving reverence for the all powerful God Who loves us through our shortcomings.  So there is faith-filled fear that enables us to love God, and crippling-fear that keeps us from walking in faith.

Back to how awesome God is… He has great power, “B’Rov U’z’cha” to subdue his enemies.  This “song” (Psalm) is consistent with another song from heaven.  Revelation 15:3 And they are singing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and wonderful are Your deeds, Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations! 4 Who shall not fear and glorify Your name, O Lord? For You alone are Holy. All the nations shall come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed!”

Selah!  Indeed, we must pause so our hearts can catch up to what we just heard.  “Shema Yisrael!”  Shalom shalom.

Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Thu     1 Oct 2026                 20th of Tishrei, 5787 Sukkot VI
De 16:1-3, Nu 29:26-31        Mal 3   2 Ch 35        Rev 21     (Ac 27:21-44)