Ready, CHER , go!

'ach Sov vetlh joH'a' ghajtaH cher mob vaD himself ghaH 'Iv ghaH godly: joH'a' DichDaq Qoy ghorgh jIH ja' Daq ghaH.

But know that the LORD has set apart for himself him who is godly: the LORD will hear when I call to him. Ps 4.3

(click for podcast version)

I don't have a wristwatch. This doesn't mean I don't know what time it is - I certainly have a timekeeping device strapped to my wrist - it just isn't a watch. It is a "tlhIngan tlhaq" - a Klingon Chronometer. Made by Timex, this fine instrument keeps me supplied with all the valuable time-related functions: alarms, stopwatch, date and two time zones - it is all there, AND in Klingon too!. Very handy (I even have a spare!)

I bring it up becaust today's word - cher, set - is featured prominently on the controls. And not only are machines like my tlhIngan tlhaq "set," but, according to David, so are "the Godly".

'ach Sov vetlh joH'a' ghajtaH cher mob vaD himself ghaH 'Iv ghaH godly: joH'a' DichDaq Qoy ghorgh jIH ja' Daq ghaH.

But know that the LORD has set apart for himself him who is godly: the LORD will hear when I call to him. Ps 4.3

What does this mean?


The Hebrew word here is "palah" and occurs fewer than ten times in the Bible. A primitive root meaning "to distinguish" it is translated in a variety of ways: put a difference, show marvellous, separate, set apart, sever, make wonderfully. The idea seems to be that believers are distinguished, are drawn out of the mass of humanity.

This is in line with the Biblical idea of "the elect." Some might see it as supporting the argument for predestination - the idea that God foreordains all things gone before and to come. As Paul wrote to the Ephesians he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without blemish before him in love.(Eph 1:4)

And perhaps we are SET apart, cher mob, by God no matter what. Yet Scripture also gives the language of choice. Moses says to the Israelites "Behold, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil" (Deut. 30:15), and Joshua later says "choose this day whom you will serve" (Josh 24:15).

This is a historic battlefield for believers: free will versus predestination, as some would cast it, and I don't expect any of us will be able to sort it out this side of eternity. How would a Klingon think of such things?

Well, there's a saying - I've mentioned before - "reH 'eb tu'lu" - there is always a chance. It speaks to the Klingon resolve NOT to give up, not to accept defeat. To such a mindset, a pure idea of predestination would not be appealing - the Klingon spirit would be drawn to the call to choose, to respond to the call, the chance, the choice God offers to all.

There's a scene in one CS Lewis's Narnia stories, The Silver Chair, where a character meets Aslan, who tells her she has been called into Narnia to do something for him. She objects:

I was wondering... could there be some mistake? Because nobody called me and Scrubb, you know. It was we who asked to come here...."

Aslan responds

"You would not have called to me unless I had been calling to you."

From the perspective of eternity we may indeed see things, choices we made as being driven from God's own plan - but a Klingon would probably lose patience wiht such speculation and urge us to "get on with it." I think David would too - consider the last clause, of this verse:

joH'a' DichDaq Qoy ghorgh jIH ja' Daq ghaH.

the LORD will hear when I call to him. Ps 4.3

Our focus needs to move beyond being "set apart" to what it means to our life - the LORD will hear! How we have come to be part of his company, this company of believers who are cher mob, set apart, may be imporant, but more important is the confidence we now have : the LORD will hear!

Call on him today!