A Selah study is for anyone and is an easy way to learn how to study the Bible. The basic premise of Selah is to take a passage of scripture and dwell on it by reading and meditating upon it for five days in a row. Selah helps you to meditate, understand, and apply the passage by directing you to look up keywords, identify characters, ask questions, look for cross-references, find themes, discover God’s Character, and apply the Word to your life. You will even learn how to pray the scriptures! The goal of any Selah study is transformation, not just information. Below I have listed nine resources that are helpful in your study of the Word using the Selah Method.
Full disclosure, included in this article are Amazon Affiliate links to some of the products I use while doing my Selah study at home. I love them I think you will too!
1 – Selah Series- Choose a Selah study. Maybe you want to start small with Selah Ruth, an 8-week study. Or perhaps you are ready to dive into 22 weeks of with Selah Psalm 119. Make a promise to yourself to start a new pattern of learning the Bible this year!
2 – Study Bible- Your Bible is your main textbook! Study Bibles have useful maps and context information set up as the introduction to each book of the Bible. Often, there are outlines that give you the layout of the book at a glance. One of my favorites is Dr. David Jeremiah’s Study Bible.
3- Pens- Ooooh, I love using colored pens! They give me variety and help me to see different things marked out by their color. You can use a different color for each day, each section might have a different color, or you might want to emphasize a specific discovery in specific colors. Girls, I have to share this set of pens…so many colors, the perfect tip, and doesn’t bleed through!
4 – Bible Dictionary- A Bible Dictionary will be formatted much like an encyclopedia with short articles that are arranged in alphabetical order. Use it to learn about people, places and what words or phrases might mean. I really encourage you to round out your library and feed your biblical curiosity with a Bible Dictionary like the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary!
5 – Concordance- An alphabetical index of words used in the Bible and the main Bible references where the word occurs. Concordances are incredibly useful for locating passages in the Bible if you can remember just one word in a verse. I have found in doing the Selah Method a concordance, like the New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance , is so helpful when I am trying to understand a truth that is illustrated in a passage and discover other scriptures that back it up or portray the concept from a slightly different aspect. A concordance can help you gain a fuller understanding of the portion of scripture you are studying.
6 – Cross Reference Bible- Some Bibles have a cross-reference within the margins or as footnotes. The goal of cross-referencing is to shine more light upon the Author’s intent by referring to other verses. I still love to use my first bible – an NIV Ryrie Study Bible to follow the cross references as I do my Selah study, but recently, someone gifted me a John MacArthur ESV study bible that I use as well!
7 – Key Word Study Bible- There are times when a Greek or Hebrew word has a distinct meaning that affects the proper interpretation of Scripture. Unless you are familiar with these languages, you will not be able to determine what word in the original text was used or the differences between these words. I use the Key Word Study Bible every time I begin to study a new passage of scripture with Selah as I look up the Key Words. By doing this you learn so much!
8 – Maps- Maps are an invaluable resource found in the back of your Bible. It helps students of the Bible to picture the location and understand distances, geographical obstacles, and perceive relationship of one place to another. Of course you can use the maps found in the back of your Bible, but I have found when I am in a class with other it is so helpful to have a larger visual aid or to be able to make a copy to hand out so we can all be looking at the same thing to diminish the confusion! Rose Publishing has always had exceptional products. This Deluxe Then and Now Bible Map Book with CD provides all your needs for individual map study, family study, or study with a small group.
9 – Commentaries- Commentaries can be useful, but I would strongly encourage you to abstain from reading a commentary until you have completed your five days of study using the above materials. Find out what God is saying to you first then you can read what a trusted author has opined. Maybe I am old fashioned, but I really appreciate J. Vernon McGee’s commentary on the book of Ruth! His humble wisdom put the book and the different themes into a sharper perspective.
Perhaps you are not interested in purchasing all the materials I have mentioned above, I get it!! In the next blog post, Why I Love Using Blue Letter Bible for My Selah Study, I will tell you what I personally use for my Selah Resource and why I think it is so easy!
For more information about Selah or to attend a Selah Pause + Listen Retreat or to have Shelley speak to your Women’s Ministry group regarding developing a quiet time using Selah, contact her here.
Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash