is there a function that would add a time delay between 2 lines of code. Not the settimeout, because settimeout requires a function/object in its arguments.

I am looking for something like this pseudo code

write abc;

delay(500);

write xyz;

TIA

Edit:
jimr's solution in my other thread worked for my purpose, and so is Robusto's.

I am just wondering why the sleep methods given by Robusto and CMS's link are not preferred. How would that be different than the settimeout method since they both introduce a pause in the code? (settimeout pauses before the function is executed, the sleep method pauses before the next line is executed.)