The meaning of this word is shrouded in mystery - if not at least, a lot of uncertainty. Some commentaries describe its significance as "pause, and calmly think of that".
An alternative meaning could be suggested. There is a sense that could be appreciated by today's charismatic believer, who may at times give utterance by spiritual gift, without having the slightest notion of its significance (for today's charismatic believer, that's not an uncommon experience). Whenever the Psalmist had this experience, he marked the occurrence by the use of the word, "Selah", so that his hearers (or a 21st-century reader) could be alerted to the nature of the commentary in the Psalm as divinely-inspired, or prophetic utterance.
Most of the time, "Selah" marks a passage as profoundly prophetic, and the writer of the psalm couldn't have a clue about its true meaning.
I believe the prophetic sense of Selah is aptly illustrated by its use in Psalm 22.
psalms
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