Media: the middle things, in reference to the first and last things: or, The means, duties, ordinances, both secret, private and publike, for continuance and increase of a godly life, once begun, till we come to Heaven. Wherein are discovered many blessed medium's or duties, in their right method, manner and proceedings; that so a Christian (the spirit of Christ assisting) may walk on in the holy path, which leads from his new birth to everlasting life. / Drawn, for the most part, out of the most eminently pious, and learned writings of our native practical divines: with additionals of his own, by Isaac Ambrose, minister of the Gospel at Preston in Amoundernes.

PSAL. 3. The Title is, A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absolom his son.

In which three things are contained, 1. The Author thereof, David King of Israel, who composed it. 2. The kinde of the Psalm; which word [Psalm] is a word generally applyable to all those spiritual Hymns, without particular application to the Ceremonies of persons, time or maner of singing, as many others are: It was usually delivered to the whole Quire, on the Sabbaths and Festival days, to be sung by voyce, and to be fitted to the instruments, used to be played upon in the Temple. 3. The expression of the time, and occasion of the composing thereof; (i.) when he fled from Absolom: the story is set down 2 Sam. 15. Many were the troubles wherewith this good King was afflicted, especially after his sin in the matter of Ʋriah, but never any so grievous, as to be driven out of his own Kingdom by his own Son, and his subjects to fall away from him, and to follow his enemy, that sought his life and Throne.

Hereupon he makes his sorrowful complaint unto God in this Psalm, and appoints it to be sung in the Church for his own comfort, and instruction to himself and the whole Church in such times of calamities.

And to this his pathetical moan, he joyns this word [Selah] as a note of the attention of the minde, and stop or pause in the song.

For understanding the meaning and use of the word [Selah] note, that Selah is an Hebrew word, and signifies as much as Amen, for ever, semper, in sempiternum, in seculo, &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in aeternum.

Hierome observes, that the Jews used one of these three words in the end or conclusion of their writings or sentences, or in the end of their prayers, Amen, Selah or Salem, which signifies peace: And its noted to be a word to express an affirmation, or giving assent to that which is prayed or said, as Amen is, or else it imports a wish, vow or desire, that the thing spoken be cer∣tain, or may be for ever, (i.) that it may be performed: And it is to be noted, that it is usually placed, when some special thing, worthy attention or observation, is spoken or delivered, or some desire to be performed, whether it be in the end, or in any sen∣tence of the Psalm, Prayer, &c. that by a little stop or pause of

the breath, the matter, worth or excellency of the thing may better be considered: And you shall not finde it in any part of the Scripture, saving in the Psalms, and in the prayer of the Pro∣phet Habakkuk, Hab. 3.3. whereupon its observed by Drusius and others, to be a word of note, used in those dities and mu∣sick, to make a stop or stay, that the matter uttered may be bet∣ter minded of the hearers, either to affirm it by their assent, or to desire the performance of what is sung by that intermission, which seems to be most probable, because the Greek Translators of the Hebrew Bible, express the word Selah, by the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies a stop, or intermission, and so comes to be used in the Psalmodie, and is rithmi Commutatio, a change of the note, or vicissitudo canendi, or as some say, alte∣rius sensus exordium.

Notes

• Psal. 3. v. 2. & 4. & 8.