to their own devices—but made an integral part of the first verses; and to סֶלָה attached to the end of a verse. In such cases we may claim to have the text as it came from the poet’s hands, and accentuate for ourselves accordingly13. The other cases, that occasion us difficulty, are mostly of quite another kind. We shall find in them an accentuation, which we have no reason to suppose is false, and for which an adequate explanation has (if possible) to be found. The following considerations will