nov jIH - Alien am I!

'The puH DIchDaq ghobe' taH sold Daq perpetuity, vaD the puH ghaH mine; vaD SoH 'oH novpu' je yIn as foreigners tlhej jIH.

'The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; for you are strangers and live as foreigners with me. Lev 25:23

(click for podcast)

In the catalog of useful Klingon expressions, the Conversational Klingon learning tape offers this phrase and advice:

"you might need (help) in an emergency. You may have to be a little persistent to get a Klingon to come to your aid. ...not because they are ignoring you, or savoring your discomfort, it is just that what Terrans consider dangerous and unpleasant a Klingon usually finds exhilarating and enjoyable. So, if no ­one comes to your aid at first, shout out the phrase:

"I am not a Klingon."
{tlhIngan jIHbe'.}

This will make your plight explicit and a Klingon is sure to respond. "

Now, I'd note that another way you might state this idea is to say:

"nov jIH" / I am an alien.

Nov - alien, is our word for today. For here in Leviticus, we are reminded that our attitude is to BE an alien, or a "stranger and sojourner" in this world - in Hebrew the words are "ger," someone who stops as a guest, and "towshab," a temporary resident.

This passage from Leviticus is part of a section that covers legislation involving the year of Jubilee. The rules are ones that we would find challenging - as the Life Application Bible notes:

It included canceling all debts, freeing all slaves, and returning to its original owners all land that had been sold. There is no indication in the Bible that the Year of Jubilee was ever carried out. If Israel had followed this practice faithfully, they would have been a society without permanent poverty.

The point that captures my attention are the words:

vaD SoH 'oH novpu' je yIn as foreigners tlhej jIH.
for you are strangers and live as foreigners with me.

We're being told here that our lives are not to be rooted, pinned down to this world - as Larry Norman said "don't mind me, I'm only visiting this planet." If we can hold fast to that perspective, then we'll keep from getting weighed down and anchored by this world. The apostle Peter said it this way in his first letter:

Dear brothers and sisters, you are foreigners and aliens here. So I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very souls. (1 Peter 2:11 NLT)

To me, one of the joys of imaginative stories of rockets and travel through space is the notion that we are on a journey, that our residence here is not perpetual. And I have to admit, it HAS pleased me that a number of modern translations have used the word "alien" to translate some of the Greek and Hebrew terms for wayfarer, stranger and sojourner.


When we recognize the journey we are on, the eternal home we believers approach through life - we can discover that all our priorities will re-arrange.

Looking for help from our Lord? Perhaps we do need to call out

"nov jIH," I AM an alien!

Safe!

(I'm BACK! I spent the last week visiting other worlds, filled with robots, fantastic voyages and more! See?)

vaD SoH, joH'a' mob, chenmoH jIH yIn Daq safety.
For you, O LORD alone, make me live in safety. Psalm 4:8b

(click for podcast)

As I write this, I'm soaking wet - due to having moved a car into the garage for fear of an approaching hailstorm. It gives me a little appreciation for the Klingon slang word for "to be safe" - QaD, literally to be dried out. Anyone caught in a summer thunderstorm can appreciate the link to "keeping dry" as being "safe."

You'll note that my KLV didn't map the word 'safety' - that's due to the relative infrequency of the word safety (19 times) or safe (13) in the WEB translation. As I've noted, my initial creation of this "relexified" (not translated ) text only touched on FREQUENT words, used more than 100 times in the English text. I've relaxed that rule - especially as I've done these studies, but "safe" and "safety" haven't made the cut yet. And, of course, safety is rarely a priority for Klingons.

vaD SoH, joH'a' mob, chenmoH jIH yIn Daq safety.
For you, O LORD alone, make me live in safety. Psalm 4:8b

On planet Earth - well on (or off of) any planet (even Pluto! - I'm not giving up so easily on that one) safety IS a concern. From pre-launch checklists to flood insurance, we think about and seek to attain it in many ways.

But. We know there is no guarantee. At the end of these two psalms, 3 and 4, we've heard David oscillate between his struggles and his confidence in God giving him security. This final verse wraps up with David, at last, saying his safety is founded on God alone.

The word here in Hebrew, betach, means to hie for refuge - that is, it acknowledges there is much in this world from which we need rescue. AND it is only God who offers that rescue. We do not find safety in denying our troubles - saying "everything is fine," when it is not.

Perhaps we need to, as David did, come to the end of our rope to realize how much we need rescue - and that God offers it.

As Peter says:

casting Hoch lIj worries Daq ghaH, because ghaH cares vaD SoH.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.
(1 Peter 5:7 NLT)

Then we'll know the answer to this life's bad news:

ghaH DichDaq ghobe' taH vIp vo' mIghtaHghach news. Daj tIq ghaH steadfast, trusting Daq joH'a'.

He will not be afraid of evil news. His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. (Psalm 112:7)

This life will bring us storms - real and metaphorical - and it is not always possible to be QaD, safe. But there is one to whom we can always turn, for He will always give us that safe port in every storm we need.

vaD SoH, joH'a' mob, chenmoH jIH yIn Daq safety.
For you, O LORD alone, make me live in safety. Psalm 4:8b

Gladness in my Heart!

SoH ghaj lan Quchqu'taHghach Daq wIj tIq, latlh than ghorgh chaj grain je chaj chu' HIq 'oH increased.

You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and their new wine are increased. Psalm 4:7

(click for podcast)
We don't know much about how Klingons face death. Yes, bravely, and yes they have a loud cry to warn those in the afterlife that a great warrior approaches. They also have legends and beliefs that, well, hardly parallel the Biblical message - any more than my Scandinavian ancestors did. And, of course, that's why we - Klingons and Humans - need someone to give us the witness of scripture, because without it we DON'T know that we can face death - and life - with gladness.

I've seen this. I can picture it in funerals I've been at - my mother's and my father's for example - that were great celebrations. Even in the midst of grief, no one could mistake the confidence and gladness that attended the services.

Gladness - that's the word we consider today. Simchah in Hebrew, it occurs more than 80 times in the Bible. From a root, sameach, to be blithe, or gleeful. You may hear that word at celebrations in Israel when people would call out "hag sameach," happy holiday!

This gladness is an adjective we might covet for our lives, but not always find. One tlhIngan Hol word that might do would be "tIv" - to enjoy, but I used - constructed really - a far longer one - Quchqu'taHghach, from Quch, be happy, plus the intensive qu' plus, taH, on-going. All wrapped up with the nominalizer -ghach: Quchqu'taHghach. With the small known Klingon vocabulary, we could connect this to "blessed", at least for ashri, which in Hebrew, meaning "happy" or Quch. It is interesting to note the Hebrew and Greek scriptures include a word for "blessed" that means "happy."

This connection of being happy and blessed, even in the midst of grief is fresh in my mind, as I return from the funeral of a good friend. Again, a remarkable scene of witness to joy, despite grief. A compelling example for believers.

This verse comes at the end of a psalm - really a pair of psalms (3 and 4) that come from a desperate moment in David's life, a time when he was on the run for his life. And STILL he had confidence in God's care. Still he could say:

SoH ghaj lan Quchqu'taHghach Daq wIj tIq, latlh than ghorgh chaj grain je chaj chu' HIq 'oH increased.

You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and their new wine are increased. Psalm 4:7

The Life Application Bible reflects on this kind of gladness, saying:

Two kinds of joy are contrasted here—inward joy that comes from knowing and trusting God and happiness that comes as a result of pleasant circumstances. Inward joy is steady as long as we trust God; happiness is unpredictable. Inward joy defeats discouragement; happiness covers it up. Inward joy is lasting; happiness is temporary.

That's the goal. Not to have happiness that comes from temporary fortune, but rather to achieve inward joy - gladness that lasts, not for the moment, but on into eternity. That's what David found in God's gracious love - and so can we.

This Book.

vam paq vo' the chut DIchDaq ghobe' mej pa' vo' lIj nujDu'

"don't for a minute let this book of the Revelation be out of mind" Joshua 1:8 Message

(click for podcast)

At this moment I'm getting ready to blast off. I'm heading out into the blue to a conference in Las Vegas. It won't be a long trip, and getting ready to go brought my mind to matters of packing, and unpacking - traveling light. This called this verse to mind from Joshua. At the end of the long journey, the Israelites are ready to unpack - settle in after decades travelling away from slavery in Egypt. They are going to have homes again - they'll no longer need to - as travelers must - carry everything with them.

Except. Joshua is given this command from God, essentially what NOT to unpack:

This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate thereon day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.

I was drawn to this verse over 30 years ago when a group called the Navigators introduced me to Bible memorization - the systematic effort to follow these words, to as the Message translation puts it:

"don't for a minute let this book of the Revelation be out of mind"

I like that term "book of the Revelation," because it encompasses the whole of Scripture. "Book of the law" or "paq vo' the chut" implies a narrower focus - as if we are being reminded to know statutes and legislations.

Rather this law, or torah in Hebrew is the TEACHING, including laws, but including the whole direction of Scripture. The root is yarah, a word meaning to throw, or point - give DIRECTION. There is a way that God intends to lead us - his torah is in the whole of scriptures that Paul reminds us

is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction which is in righteousness 2 Timothy 3:16

Good things to hang onto!

Lately I've been learning about the another alien culture. Certainly as fierce an opponent as Klingons (if not more so) they are the Mando'a or the Mandalorians. The most famous of them are Boba Fett and his father Jango. Like the Israelites of Moses's day, they are a nomadic people. While a much more martial people than the Israelites, they too are noted for keeping their words, their stories and traditions alive - keeping them in their mind at all times. You can find links to their language and my rough "translation" of a Mando'a Bible at MNDBible.MrKlingon.org. This translation, like the KLV, is a simple word replacement effort - these words from Joshua come out as:

ibic book be te law shall not ba'slanar out be gar mouth, a' gar shall meditate bat bic tuur bal ca, ibac gar may ja'hailir at narir according at an ibac is written therein: par then gar shall gotal'ur gar way prosperous, bal then gar shall ganar jate success

"don't for a minute let this book of the Revelation be out of mind" Joshua 1:8 Message

What words can't you forget? That you are TRYING to remember -- for some of us there is a struggle to remember the passwords and PIN numbers that modern life requires us to keep, for others it is schoolwork and things we are trying to learn. It always seems like SOMETHING needs to be kept in the memory bank.

But if we draw into our hearts the words of God and make them part of our everyday kit - then we'll be equipped and well armed for the day.

Then, as Paul puts it, we'll be "complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Light makes....

joH'a', chaw' the wov vo' lIj qab shine Daq maH.

LORD, let the light of your face shine on us. Psalm 4:6b

(click for podcast version)

When you travel in space, "light" matters. Not merely because of the "blackness of space" but because light, the energy of the stars, can be a vital resource. A source of light, and power - just as it is on Earth. It is common to power spacecraft with solar energy - consider the valiant robots STILL exploring Mars, charging and recharging themselves with... LIGHT. In the future great solar sails will be used to drive ships through the solar system - even to other stars.

AND... in this verse we hear also of light - the light that shines from God.

joH'a', chaw' the wov vo' lIj qab shine Daq maH.

LORD, let the light of your face shine on us. Psalm 4:6b

There is one saying that humans have, which I expect Klingons would have no trouble with: Might makes right. It echoes the Klingon aphorism


reH lugh charghwI'. The victor is always right.

But the verse we're considering suggests a different thought that might be paraphrased "light makes right," for in this final clause of Psalm 4:6 we get the answer to last week's question “Who will show us any good?” We will find good in the LIGHT of God's presence.

Light is "wov" in Klingon. The Hebrew word here is "ore" and shows up over 100 times in the Bible meaning illumination or luminary in every sense, including lightning, happiness, and so on. It is the positive power of light - the way we see things, the way we see what needs to be done.

We enjoy God's light - the real, literal sunshine that gives life and energy to our planet, and the light of God's blessing. The gifts we receive FROM him every day.

joH'a', chaw' the wov vo' lIj qab shine Daq maH.

LORD, let the light of your face shine on us. Psalm 4:6b

This light is not ours to keep. We are not to hoard light for our selves - like the time Mr. Burns tried to keep Springfield in perpetual darkness so he could sell more power. We are, in fact to be light ourselves:

'ach vaj, chaw' lIj wov shine qaSpa' loDpu'; vetlh chaH may legh lIj QaQ vum, je glorify lIj vav 'Iv ghaH Daq chal.

Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Mt 5:16

As we travel around the universe, we look to the light of the stars, suns and what is reflected from the planets, and when we do, we experience the gracious gifts of God, the source of all life and light - GIVE THANKS! Reflect that light today - let your light shine!

Be Goooood.

law' jatlh, " 'Iv DichDaq cha' maH vay' QaQ?"
Many say, "Who will show us any good?" Psalm 4:6a

(click for podcast version)

David reports a proper question - one worth thinking about in any time - from Biblical times down to the departure of ET with his admonition to "be gooooood." Just what do we mean by "good?"

Now, "Good" - is a rich word in any language. Webster's lists over 40 meanings for "good" - from not weak or defective, valid, complete,having moral qualities, to conformable to the moral law or proper, among others.

The Hebrew word here, tobe, comes from a root meaning to "be good" - and itself is translated in the KJV in many ways - favour, fine, glad, good, graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, loving, and merry - to name only a few.

In the KLV I've used QaQ, tlhIngan Hol for "be good" to be the word "good" - but it gets stretched across a variety of meanings as well - currently forms of it are used to represent the English terms good, goodness, well, righteous, righteousness and soundness.

All of this range of meaning is worth reflecting on when he hear the Psalmist present the question:

law' jatlh, " 'Iv DichDaq cha' maH vay' QaQ?"
Many say, "Who will show us any good?" Psalm 4:6a

What is the definition, what are we asking for, when we ask for "the good?"

Considering the phrase "one man's meat is another man's poison," it must be granted there is ambiquity between cultures, some variety in subjective assessments of "the good."

My idea of a "good day" doesn't (usually) encompass the Klingon phrase:

Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam.
It is a good day to die.

Yes, this may be "good" in the sense of proper - but few would consider such a day a "good one."

The answer I find is one Jesus offers - but it's not an easy answer. When confronted by a questioner who says to him "Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" Jesus offers the non sequiter "Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God." (Mt 19)

This puzzling response points us back to the definition, the standard by which to judge what is good: God.

I say it isn't an easy answer because it forces believers to think about things, not from their limited, time-bound perspective, but by reflecting on God and His Word in order to measure and guide our lives.

His questioner certainly got no easy answer, as Jesus continued,

"But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."

When he defended as a "commandment keeper," himself Jesus drove the point further -

Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."
But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions.

law' jatlh, " 'Iv DichDaq cha' maH vay' QaQ?"
Many say, "Who will show us any good?" Psalm 4:6a

To point the rich young man to what was truly good and lasting, Jesus had to point him away from his temporal treasures. He needed to make a choice between his goods and what is truly good. And so must I, so must we all.

nob the nobmey vo' QaQtaHghach.
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness. Psalm 4:5a

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On any planet, in any solar system - "giving a gift" (nob nobtaH) is a tricky matter.

Now, given the directness of tlhIngan interactions they may be puzzled at our human wisdom: "it's the thought that counts." After all, among the sayings of Klingon wisdom is the terse: ram meqmey. / Motives are insignificant. To a Klingon ACTIONS do speak louder than words. They don't care about "the thought."

Of course, when it comes to those times when we are RECEIVING the gift - birthdays, for example, sadly we may look at the GIFT - the substance - instead of the intent, the soul, as it were , of the giver.

The Bible details a complex system of gifts, of sacrifices that are part of the faith of ancient Israel.

As the Life Application Bible notes,

Worship in David’s day included animal sacrifices by the priests in the Tabernacle. The animal’s blood covered the sins of the one who offered the animal. There were specific rules for offering sacrifices, but more important to God than ceremony was the offerer’s attitude of submission and obedience.

It is in such a context that we hear David say:

nob the nobmey vo' QaQtaHghach.
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness.Psalm 4:5a

Here's something I find interesting - in the Hebrew, the Latin, the Klingon, and the English, we tie the object to the act. That is we GIVE a GIFT. Or we OFFER an OFFERING. The Klingon says we "nob" a "nob" - the verb and noun give and gift are the same. Even further across the Galaxies, we find that the Mando'a language - spoken by Mandalorians, like Jango or Boba Fett connect the act to the object - they "dinuir" (give) a "dinui" (gift). You could render this phrase as dinuir haar tor dinui - give the justice gift.

Now, in our giving/nobtaH we are to be "righteous" or "just" - we aren't MERELY supposed to give a gift, but to do it the RIGHT way.

What does that mean? Here, is where the Hebrew parallelism of the psalm helps us out.

Often in the Bible's poetry we find one phrase parallels the thought to emphasize or clarify the meaning - this is no exception - I think the meaning here is much more clear when we read the whole verse:

nob the nobmey vo' QaQtaHghach. lan lIj voq Daq joH'a'.

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness.
Put your trust in the LORD

We are to GIVE to God - in service to him in worship, in service to others - it takes many forms, but the measure of "righteousness" comes in the simple clause - put your trust in the LORD.

"I couldn't," "I can't," "that's too much,"... I have so many ways to hold back, to limit the way I give, but this psalm stills my complaints with just a simple

lan lIj voq Daq joH'a' / put your trust in the LORD.

voq or trust - represent the Hebrew word batach - a word with the idea "to hie for refuge " - that is depend on God for our ultimate security.

This is where we can expand our gifts, our service beyond the limits we impose. TRUST in the LORD - depend on him and I'll find I don't need to hold back, I don't need to save a reserve. I'll give rightly, give the tor dinui, the righteous gift.

I like these words from St. Peter

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.
(1 pt 5:7 NLT)

What gifts do you have to share? Trust in the LORD and give!

taH vIHHa'!

Search lIj ghaj tIq Daq lIj bed, je taH vIHHa'.
Search your own heart on your bed, and be still. Psalms 4:4b

(click for podcast)

Klingons, as I've noted before, are not Vulcans. Nor do humans present a passionless, dry and logical face to the universe. That is why we - humans and Klingons - need this word of scripture, the command to taH vIHHa' / be still.

[In fact, if you know the history of the Vulcan race, even they needed this advice - for they too have a violent and bloody history.]

I've noted that the Bible's advice is NOT to be without emotions. "Be angry, and don't sin" is how Paul interprets the beginning of this verse, in his letter to the Ephesians. The problem is not emotion - rather the problem is letting it run away with us. Even Jesus displayed anger in facing down the abuse of religious people when he turned the moneychangers out of the temple.

The concern is our response to troubling emotions - and this passage points the way:

Search lIj ghaj tIq Daq lIj bed, je taH vIHHa'.
Search your own heart on your bed, and be still. Psalms 4:4b

The word vIHHa', still, is the same Klingon term used in the KLV of Psalm 23's "still waters." vIH - be in motion, plus the negation suffix, Ha' means "not be in motion," i.e. be still. The Hebrew root here is different - here it is damam, only appearing a couple of dozen times in the Bible, translated as cease, be cut down (off), forbear, hold peace, quiet self, rest, be silent, keep (put to) silence, be (stand) still, tarry, and wait. Here it is used to tell us, in effect to "stop and think."

About what? We do well to reflect on all that God has done. Klingons like this - to recount triumphs - ta'mey Dun, bommey Dun (great deeds, great songs) as they say it. So scripture encourages us to remember what God has done

How can a young person stay pure?
By obeying your word and following its rules.
I have hidden your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:9,11 NLT

But the stillness matters too. To be vIHHa', still, means ceasing the endless flow of distractions that boil around us. From cell phones, ham radio, ipod, pager, computers and more, I feel at time wrapped in a thick fog of words, words and more words. We do well to cultivate silence. As Ecclesiastes notes:

The more words you speak, the less they mean. So why overdo it? Ecc 6:11 NLT

Search lIj ghaj tIq Daq lIj bed, je taH vIHHa'.
Search your own heart on your bed, and be still. Psalms 4:4b

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!

Whaddya Know?

'ach Sov vetlh joH'a' ghajtaH cher apart vaD himself ghaH 'Iv ghaH godly
But know that the LORD has set apart for himself him who is godly Psalm 4:3a

(click for podcast)

Here's an alien word that you may or may not be familiar with: epistemology.

The branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge,
its presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity.
[Greek epistm, knowledge (from epistasthai, epist-, to understand :
epi-, epi- + histasthai; see st- in Indo-European roots) + -logy.]
( http://www.thefreedictionary.com/epistemology )

I bring the word up, because David brings it up. That is, the first word of this phrase is the Hebrew word yada - to know. This is a very common word (over 800 times in the Bible!) and has a variety of meanings - from intellectual knowledge to physical intimacy. The Klingon word is "Sov" to know. This verse drives home David's confidence that he can trust God's reliability because he KNOWS it.

As the New Living Translation renders this passage:

You can be sure of this:
The LORD has set apart the godly for himself.

Epistemology is the science of thinking about how we KNOW what we know. It's the way we sort out a problem that Will Rogers noted:

it's not what we DON'T KNOW that will hurt us; it's
what we KNOW that ain't so

That is often the problem - how many times have you been alarmed by a "news item" that turns out to be completly bogus? We need the kind of discernment that keeps us from being too credible. For a start I recommend an anti-Urban Legend website like snopes.com to help you sort out some of the outrageous things "we KNOW that ain't so."

David's assurance - KNOWING of God's care - comes from a life of faith, where he could look back at events in his life, the ups and downs of it, and see God's hand in action. Of course, like us, he relied also on the collective faith, the tradition handed on from Moses down to his time.

Klingons are careful about "what they know" - maybe too much so. They have an inveterate paranoia - they WORRY about knowledge, more specifically KNOWING TOO much. This is expressed in one of their "secrecy proverbs":

"Knowledge of useful information may be unfortunate."
{De' lI' Sovlu'DI' chaq Do'Ha'.}


But the faith of the Bible is an OPEN one - a transparent faith not bound up in secrets. As Jesus said "I said nothing in secret." (John 18:20). The Biblical faith meets the doubter with facts - consider Thomas who is never criticized for doubting, but whose doubt is met with facts to help him believe.

Believers living in a community of fellowship can KNOW from their own experience, and that of their companions in faith, along with the history of Scripture, that the facts on which their faith are based are objective space-time realities, not wishful fantasies. What good news!

'ach Sov vetlh joH'a' ghajtaH cher apart vaD himself ghaH 'Iv ghaH godly
But know that the LORD has set apart for himself him who is godly Psalm 4:3a

quvHa'!

chay' tIq DIchDaq wIj batlh taH tlhe'ta' Daq quvHa'?
You sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor? Psalm 4:2b

(click for podcast version)

Honor. Even a casual observor of Klingon-kind is going to notice that HONOR - or the lack of it is a critical focus for tlhinganpu' (Klingons). This is expressed in a saying like:

Qu' buSHa'chugh SuvwI', batlhHa' vangchugh, qoj matlhHa'chugh, pagh ghaH SuvwI''e'.
If a warrior ignores duty, acts dishonorably, or is disloyal, he is nothing. [The Klingon Way,« by Marc Okrand]

So it is often with humans. This is even expressed in the defiant call: Death before dishonor, or as a Klingon would say it: quvHa'pa' Hegh.

chay' tIq DIchDaq wIj batlh taH tlhe'ta' Daq quvHa'?
You sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor? Psalm 4:2b

But David here is not so concerned with BEING honorable, but the injustice he faces at the hands of deadly enemies - enemies who included his own family. It is not surprising that he cries out at their unfair treatment of him. David's son, Absalom, had led a rebellion against the king - working for years to undermine David's authority, telling anyone who presented a problem to him:

“You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it. I wish I were the judge. Then people could bring their problems to me, and I would give them justice!”

2 Samuel 15:3-5 NLT

When the time had come, and people were all looking to Absalom as a better ruler than David - he sprung his rebellion. Our contemporary political fights are nothing new! Whether today, or in David's time, the political operatives would have done well to think about another Klingon saying:

batlhHa' vanglu'taHvIS quv chavbe'lu'.
One does not achieve honor while acting dishonorably. [The Klingon Way,« by Marc Okrand]

The word used in this verse for dishonor is quvHa' - a typical Klingon construction quv (to honor) plus the suffix Ha', which inverts the meaning quv, honor, quvHa' DIShonor. (This is similar to the word often used for "love" in Klingon: muSHa', mus, to-hate plus Ha') The Hebrew is kehlimmah, from a root meaning to wound, and is translated variouisly - as confusion, dishonor, reproach, and shame. It appears about 30 times in the Bible.

While David's complaint is understandable, Jesus has an interesting response to suffering dishonor at the hands of enemies:

"Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Mt 5:11-12 WEB

We cannot count on a world that treats us fairly - our lives, our times, may have ups and downs. Writing on the website decentfilms.com, Steven Greydanus notes, speaking of Tolkien:

All of this is shaped by the author’s consciousness of the fallenness of the world and the inevitable sorrows of this life. "I am a Christian, and indeed a Roman Catholic," Tolkien once wrote to a friend, "so that I do not expect ’history’ to be anything but a ’long defeat’ — though it contains (and in a legend may contain more clearly and movingly) some samples or glimpses of final victory." (http://www.decentfilms.com/sections/articles/2559)

Yes, the world may bring us defeat, may bring us the closest of friends who turn on us, may bring us dishonor when we least expect it. That would only be discouraging if we had no other hope - but that is not the case, as Jesus reminds us:

I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Say HIja' Somebody!

Daq 'Iv taH the batlh reH je ever. Amen.
to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen Galatians 1:5

(click for podcast)

There are limits to the practical value of studying a language like Klingon - which is not to say there are NONE. It is certainly a great way to learn about linguistics - and understand the limits of translation between languages and cultures. And in studying languages, real and constructed, you also can discover a few universals.

Without warp drives or cloaking devices, words have the power to move across borders, from culture to culture. Some time ago I talked about Alleluia - a scripture word that has found its way into many languages. Today I've got another - a universal word you all know whether you speak Afrikaans, Bulgarian, Creole, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Esperanto, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Kenyan, Latvian, Maori, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, or Xhosa. Can somebody say "amen?"

Originally a Hebrew word, from a primitive root meaning to build up or support, Amen has become a part of many languages. We see it used in different ways in the Bible. As a word used to reinforce a statement (eg. when the we read in the Nehemiah "The whole assembly responded, 'Amen,' "), used in prayer ("Bless his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and amen!" Psalm 72:19)) and as a title for Christ ("the one who is the Amen" Rev 3:14) Actually, even when we don't see it, you can find "Amen" being used, for it is a word that at times IS translated. For example, the familiar words of Jesus as translated in the King James Bible "Verily, verily, I say unto you" translate the Greek "amen amen lego umin" (amen, amen I say to you).

I think it's natural that, in translating Biblical texts in some distant future, we'd preserve "Amen" as a part of the vocabulary. And just as naturally, we'd include synonyms for the strong affirmation when the congregation calls out "Amen!" For Klingons, I'd nominate "HIja'!" That's one of the Klingon words for yes, and I can imagine a Klingon preacher calling out

HIja' noblaH'a' vay'  - can somebody give a HIja'?

 

But what is the point? Is "Amen" simply a rallying cry? Is it no more than a religious cheer or demonstration of loyalty. No - I'd say that the bottom line is truth. As a verb, it signifies to confirm, establish, verify; to trust, or give confidence; as a noun, truth, firmness, trust, confidence; as an adjective, firm, stable. We say "amen" to what is indeed TRUE.

It's not unusual to regard believers as engaging in some disconnected-from-reality enterprise. To see worshippers as being part of a fanciful set of beliefs that don't connect to the day-to-day world. I disagree, and think it is a shame when some believers appear to question science - seeming to fear or doubt the truth. The foundations of a Biblical faith are found in dictates like those of Leviticus "'You shall not steal; neither shall you deal falsely, nor lie to one another. (19:11). The AMEN of believers is to a faith that includes honesty as central - so core to the faith that it is within the ten commandments.

Those who commit themselves to the God of the Bible are putting their trust in one who we're told "cannot lie." So when considering the promises of God - take heart! Whether you speak Afrikaans, Bulgarian, Creole, Croatian,Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Klingon, Latvian, Mando'a, Maori, Russian, or Vulcan - these promises are indeed something about which to shout AMEN!

vaD however law' 'oH the promises vo' joH'a', Daq ghaH ghaH the . HIja'..
vaj je vegh ghaH ghaH the .Amen,. Daq the batlh vo' joH'a' vegh maH.

For however many are the promises of God, in him is the "Yes." Therefore also through him is the "Amen," to the glory of God through us. 2Co 1:20

Hear My Prayer!

Qoy wIj tlhobtaHghach
hear my prayer. Psalm 4:1c

(click for podcast version)


Prayer. Or, tlhlobtaHghach, as rendered in the KLV, is a mystery.

If you are inclined to be overly analytical - maybe the kind of person who ponders "can God make a rock so big he can't lift it?" - you may ponder WHY prayer is needed at ALL. Doesn't God know what we need? Indeed Isaiah records God's word about that very point:

'oH DIchDaq qaS vetlh, qaSpa' chaH ja', jIH DichDaq jang; je qaStaHvIS chaH 'oH yet speaking, jIH DichDaq Qoy.

It shall happen that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24

And yet - we pray. In desperate straits David - and we - call out

Qoy wIj tlhobtaHghach
hear my prayer.

Well, of course. Prayer is a part of the life of believers. From beginning to end, it is the advice, the command of Scripture

In the first book of Chronicles we read:

Seek the LORD and his strength. Seek his face forever more. (1 Chr 16:11)

And James tells us:

Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises. (James 5:13)

We pray - we plead, we ask. That is the heart of the Klingon word I've used for prayer: tlhob, to request, plead, or ask, plus taH (on-going) with the nominalizer -ghach. tlhobtaHghach - an asking or plea.

This is the single word used in my KLV for prayer, but there are many used in the original languages - remember, the KLV is a simple relexification - word-for-word replacement - of the WEB. It is more the start of a translation - an example of a pidgin-language that might be used in a world with multi-lingual Klingon and English speakers.

The Bible has something like a dozen words in Hebrew and Greek, that are translated as "prayer." In this passage, tlhobtaHghach represents the Hebrew word tephillah, used about 70 times in the Bible, a word meaning an intercession or supplication. The most common Greek word in the Bible translated prayer is proseuche, used over 30 times in the Bible.

We ASK as believers because we are confident, not of a power or machinery behind the Universe, but of a PERSON. A Personal God who is there to hear when we call - a God who wants our "joy to be full." Psalm 17 reads:

I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.
Bend down and listen as I pray. (Psalm 17:6 NLT)

So, in delight or despair, joy or pain, we turn to him,

we ask,

we call out

Qoy wIj tlhobtaHghach
hear my prayer.

Prayer. Or, tlhlobtaHghach, as rendered in the KLV, is a mystery.

If you are inclined to be overly analytical - maybe the kind of person who ponders "can God make a rock so big he can't lift it?" - you may ponder WHY prayer is needed at ALL. Doesn't God know what we need? Indeed Isaiah records God's word about that very point:

'oH DIchDaq qaS vetlh, qaSpa' chaH ja', jIH DichDaq jang; je qaStaHvIS chaH 'oH yet speaking, jIH DichDaq Qoy.

It shall happen that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24

And yet - we pray. In desperate straits David - and we - call out

Qoy wIj tlhobtaHghach
hear my prayer.

Well, of course. Prayer is a part of the life of believers. From beginning to end, it is the advice, the command command of Scripture

In the first book of Chronicles we read:

Seek the LORD and his strength. Seek his face forever more. (1 Chr 16:11)

And James tells us:

Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises. (James 5:13)

We pray - we plead, we ask. That is the heart of the Klingon word I've used for prayer: tlhob, to request, plead, or ask, plus taH (on-going) with the nominalizer -ghach. tlhobtaHghach - an asking or plea.

This is the single word used in my KLV for prayer, but there are many used in the original languages - remember, the KLV is a simple relexification - word-for-word replacement - of the WEB. It is more the start of a translation - an example of a pidgin-language that might be used in a world with multi-lingual Klingon and English speakers.

The Bible has something like a dozen words in Hebrew and Greek, that are translated as "prayer." In this passage, tlhobtaHghach represents the Hebrew word tephillah, used about 70 times in the Bible, a word meaning an intercession or supplication. The most common Greek word in the Bible translated prayer is proseuche, used over 30 times in the Bible.

We ASK as believers because we are confident, not of a power or machinery behind the Universe, but of a PERSON. A Personal God who is there to hear when we call - a God who wants our "joy to be full." Psalm 17 reads:

I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.
Bend down and listen as I pray. (Psalm 17:6 NLT)

So, in delight or despair, joy or pain, we turn to him,

we ask,

we call out

Qoy wIj tlhobtaHghach
hear my prayer.

Q&A

jang jIH ghorgh jIH ja', joH'a' vo' wIj QaQtaHghach.

Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness. Psalm 4.1a

(click for podcast version)

This is Klingon praying! David's words jump right in, no careful build up, no proper liturgical form. Answer me NOW!

Does this bother you? Our idea of worship and prayer is often formal and very "polite."

This isn't wrong - any more than manners and respect are wrong in a family.

But in a solid, secure, relationship we can express more than the quiet emotions. Sometimes we need to shout. Sometimes we have to call out with force.

Klingons certainly understand this range of emotions. Their idea of romance, after all, involves the male reading poetry - while the female yells and throws things.

And David's demand for an answer grows out of the memory of all the LORD has done for him, and for God's people. One ancient writer reflected on this Biblical faith, saying:

Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord,

and your deeds from long ago.

You rescue those who wait for you

and save them from their enemies. [Sirach 51:8]

The Hebrew word used here, `anah, is a common one. It is used over 300 times in the Bible and has a variety of meanings - it's a primitive root; properly meaning, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond. You can find it in the KJV translated as, among other things:(cause to, give) answer, cry, hear, say, (give a) shout, sing (together by course), speak, testify, utter, (bear) witness.

The sense here is "reply," just as it is in the Klingon term "jang." IF you wanted a grammatically proper Klingon rendering of jang jIH you would say HIjang! ("you-answer-me")

jang jIH ghorgh jIH ja', joH'a' vo' wIj QaQtaHghach.

Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness. Psalm 4.1a

Thinking about this Psalm, one writer noted the necessity of being bold enough to approach God in prayer:

Hear me when I call - No man has a right to expect God to hear him if he do not call. Indeed, how shall he be heard if he speak not? There are multitudes who expect the blessings of God as confidently as if they had prayed for them most fervently; and yet such people pray not at all! (Abbot)

Part of the practice of prayer is being clear. Vague ideas, aimless thoughts may work to have reverence toward God - but the command of Scripture is

Don’t worry about anything;

instead, pray about everything.

Tell God what you need,

and thank him for all he has done. (Philippians 4:6 NLT)

ASK - and don't treat it as a message tossed into the void. God WILL answer, maybe not as you expect, but he will answer.

So maybe, as you work toward being a prayer warrior, you can adopt just a little of that Klingon spirit. As you pray, perhaps you might try, along with the "amen", to every now and then throw in a heartfelt "HIjang" - "ANSWER ME!"

Secrets!

jIH ja'ta' pagh Daq pegh.

I said nothing in secret. John 18:20b

(click for podcast version)

Secrets. Klingons value secrets - so much so that they have a whole class of sayings - secrecy proverbs - "they are most frequently used in situations where you want to show that you can keep a secret under *any* conditions." (Power Klingon language tape) If you ever need to impress a Klingon with your appreciation of secrecy, you might say one of these:

Hov ghajbe'bogh ram rur pegh ghajbe'bogh jaj.
"A day without secrets is like a night without stars."

not mev peghmey.
"Secrets never cease."

We live in a day and age hemmed in and defined by secrecy or attempts to eliminate it. From exciting stories which claim to reveal dark long-held secrets, to authorities who feel compelled to track every citizen's action in the hope of stopping some unknown plot. Even a simple purchase, whether in a store or on a website, involves high-powered cryptography to protect your credit card.

I admit to a certain fascination with codes and ciphers - besides reading books about them, hardly a day goes by when I don't solve at least one code in the form of a "daily cryptogram." It's an enjoyable brain teaser that I hope gives me some mental exercise.

Those words of Jesus are the only reference to "encryption" in the Bible and come from a moment when he was on trial. Part of his defense came from the transparency of his life and ministry. What he came to do and say was open for all. The Greek says simple that nothing Jesus said was "en cryptos" - in secret.

There is a rich vocabulary in the Bible regarding "secrets." The King James version translates as "secret" nearly two dozen words - 15 in Hebrew and Aramaic and 7 in Greek. While that tally includes different forms of a word (5 of the Greek are variations of kryptos) it is a far more extensive vocabulary than Klingon, for which we only know one word "pegh," which is both a noun "secret" and verb "to keep secret."

Now, using codes or ciphers are ways to encrypt, to keep secrets - and that has value. The Bible doesn't condemn the secret kept.

The book of Proverbs notes, One who brings gossip betrays a confidence, But one who is of a trustworthy spirit is one who keeps a secret. (Proverbs 11:13)

And Jesus commands a reconciliation and forgiveness that requires confidentiality: "If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.(Matthew 18:15)

There is no question that there are things we don't know. The Bible even suggests this challenges us to probe to discover them:

'oH ghaH the batlh vo' joH'a' Daq conceal a Doch, 'ach the batlh vo' joHpu' ghaH Daq search pa' a matter.

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2

I agree with those who say that what we call science really follows from this Biblical understanding: the secrets of the universe are the reasonable product of a reasonable creator - we can seek them out, and with patience decode them, if you will.

And God's intention is described in the book of Daniel

ghaH reveals the deep je pegh Dochmey; ghaH SovtaH nuq ghaH Daq the HurghtaHghach, je the wov yIntaH tlhej ghaH.

he reveals the deep and secret things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. Daniel 2:22

Sadly, secrecy comes most naturally when we've done wrong. From the garden to today, when we fear the discovery of our wrongdoing we will go to extreme lengths to cover them - law enforcement officials can testify that some of the most powerful encryption is found concealing horrible crimes. How well Jesus put it when he speaks of those "who loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil." (John 3:19 NLT)

jIH ja'ta' pagh Daq pegh.

I said nothing in secret. John 18:20b

Jesus's words direct us away from the darkness - from hiding - they reflect a God who brings light to the world, who reveals his love and care to all.

It is NOT a secret - "For God so loved the world..." is no secret code or cipher, but a bedrock declaration that none of us should ignore. Give thanks today for the love God reveals each day and the abundant life he offers to each of us!

Membership!

toDtaHghach belongs Daq joH'a'. lIj blessing taH Daq lIj ghotpu.

Salvation belongs to the LORD. Your blessing be on your people. (psalm 3.8)

(click for podcast)

Someone once said "it doesn't matter so much WHO you are, as WHOSE you are." In this, the last verse of Psalm 3, we see the phrase - On your people / Daq lIj ghotpu'. Three simple words in the English or Klingon Language Version - only two "al amchah" in Hebrew, but in that idea - "belonging to God's people," that is knowing YOU ARE HIS, is endless riches (It is even a more terse phrase in proper Klingon: ghotpu'lI'Daq. ghotpu'/ people plus the second person possessive/lI' and the suffix, Daq, for location.)

Where do you belong? Once I remarked to a friend, while we were attending a conference, "I don't feel like I belong here."

My friend cheerfully remarked, "oh, I never feel at home anywhere."

Words that might signal a dour sort of person. But my friend wasn't like that at all.

I think his remarks echoed the words of 1 Peter:

parmaqqay, jIH beg SoH as foreigners je pilgrims, Daq abstain vo' fleshly lusts, nuq veS Daq the qa';

Rendered in the translation "The Message" as:

Friends, this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it.

The Biblical affirmation of citizenship that is rooted in eternity, not some temporary home or nation.

Recently, at my house, we've decided to "drop our landline." That is, end the wired phone service we've had for over 25 years. For a variety of reasons it's a practical decision, though one I've wrestled with. This is the number my kids grew up with, a number I've had for half my life.

But. It isn't any more permanent than my house - or my body. This world is NOT my home. I've got better - and more lasting membership in eternity.

toDtaHghach belongs Daq joH'a'. lIj blessing taH Daq lIj ghotpu.

Salvation belongs to the LORD. Your blessing be on your people. (psalm 3.8)

This is the membership, the citizenship that matters - our being God's people; Again, from "The Message" I like the rendering of the passage we're considering today, Psalm 3's final verse:

Real help comes from GOD.
Your blessing clothes your people!

Salvation, REAL help, comes not from OUR effort, but God's. Notice too that David doesn't deal merely with FACTS: "God saves", but RELATIONSHIPS: YOUR blessing on YOUR people.

In Hebrews 11, that monumental chapter on faith, we hear Abraham's wandering described

vaD Abraham nejta' vaD the veng nuq ghajtaH the foundations, 'Iv builder je maker ghaH joH'a'.

For Abraham looked for the city which has the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Someday we may wander far, just as Abraham did. We'll follow our faithful robot emissaries to the stars. New homes will orbit new worlds. Perhaps we'll even meet the real Klingons or Vulcans or whatever race God has created in depths out there.

What will matter then (as it does now) is not which club or congregation we join. Nor does our address or phone number or radio frequency change who we are. What will matter is WHOSE we are.

What will matter is that we can say

joH'a' ghotpu'lI' maH!
God, we are YOUR people!

Pulling Punches!

Hu', joH'a'! toD jIH, wIj joH'a'! vaD SoH ghaj struck Hoch vo' wIj jaghpu' Daq the qevpob Hom. SoH ghaj ghorta' the Ho'Du' vo' the mIgh.

Arise, LORD! Save me, my God! For you have struck all of my enemies on the cheek bone. You have broken the teeth of the wicked. Psalm 3:7

(click for podcast version)

From matters of personal injustice to international - from broken friendships to war, there ARE things that make us cry out "Hu', joH'a'!" "Arise LORD!"

One writer notes that David's confidence is so great that he knew ALL that is needed is FOR God to arise and David would be SAVED. So certain is he that the description of the justice that follows (all in the past tense) is assumed to be complete ALREADY.

David faced terror, as we may in our lives, and found that it did good, just as trouble may in our lives. For it drove him, as it drives us, to ask, to plead, to pray to God for justice.

And what justice?

As alarming as we may find these words they are common to Scriptures. Consider other Psalms: "break their teeth," "show no mercy to the traitors," and more.

It helps to read this verse AS a Klingon. Our modern human reaction to this passage is bound to have some squirm in it - especially when we hear a call to hit our enemies in the face and to smash out their teeth. This may trouble a human - but a call to swift decisive action, to pull no punches - THAT has Klingon written all over it:

" taH angry, je yImev yem." yImev chaw' the pemHov jaH bIng Daq lIj QeHpu',

"Be angry, and don't sin." Don't let the sun go down on your wrath, [Eph 4:26]

says the Bible, and this verse illustrates this attitude. Call evil what it is; don't accept it, be ANGRY with it - and let God deal with it. David plans no revenge - he turns it over to God.

Don't let it be personal, to eat you up inside. "Love the sinner and hate the sin," goes the old saying, and it is a good one. This doesn't come easy for a Klingon, OR a human, but it keeps us from tieing personal judgement, personal prejudice to our response to evil.

This psalm gives vent to anger over sin - but leaves it to God, not mere people to set right - Reflect on what Jesus said

" ghaH 'Iv ghaH Hutlh yem among SoH, chaw' ghaH throw the wa'Dich nagh Daq Daj."

,"He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone at her." (John 8:7)

From matters of personal injustice to international - from broken friendships to war, there are things that make us cry out "Hu', joH'a'!" "Arise LORD!"

And getting God to rise is ENOUGH.

One Word to Bind Them All (podcast re-run)

(Hello! This has been a busy week and I'm running behind on this week's podcast. So I thought I'd share it this one - one of my favorites - till I can get this week's ready.)

naD joH'a'
Praise the LORD Psalm 117:1a

click for podcast

Would you like to be a linguist, with a vocabulary that extends from Albanian to Xhosa? With one word I can assist you towards this goal.

The word I'm thinking of is at the heart of this Psalm, the shortest chapter of the Bible.

Hallelujah

That short phrase, almost a contraction, ends this psalm, and is expressed in a longer version, hallelu et adonai - praise you the LORD - at the beginning. By bracketing this short chapter, this command directs believers to be about the serious, and delightful, work of praise.

From Hebrew to Greek to Latin, Hallelujah over the centuries was transliterated from language to language and has become an exclamation of praise, so universal that it has moved into the lexicons of many languages. Look for yourself at the Crosswire Bible Society's website, www.crosswire.org/study. There you can compare Bibles in quite a few languages and see this Psalm containing "Hallelujah" or "Allelulia" : Afrikaans, Bulgarian, Croatian, Dutch, Esperanto, and Finnish to name a few, each transliterating this word for their tongue.

But. Not Klingon. If we were to present a Klingon version of Hallelujah, it might be 'alayluya. However, since the World English Bible, the source used for my Klingon Language Version, translates the Hebrew terms, the KLV does likewise, naD joH'a'. If we were to translate it more grammatically we'd say it as a command, joH'a' penaD, the-LORD you-all-praise.

Hallelujah

I love this word, and especially like thinking about the path it has taken through the long years. It is now almost a password, if you will, for believers on every continent and with many different languages. A foreign word in almost every language, it is testifies to a faith language of the heart that is (or should be) a native language for everyone who follows the God of the Bible.

To me, the really important thing is that little syllable -lu-; it indicates the plural. YOU-ALL give praise, not "you" singular. (This is something we've lost in modern English; an ability to easily distinguish singular and plural. You can see it preserved in the King James and Douay translations, where the "you" and "ye" forms indicate plural, and "thou," "thee," and "thine" refer to the second person singular.)

That "lu," Halle-LU-jah, takes the command to praise and extends it not to you or me, but to all of us, together. God calls forth, across the ages, across the world (even to the stars?) and draws us together as we praise him.

Think of this word and all its forms as being links that bind us together when we - all of us - rejoice in any language: Afrikaans, Albanian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Dutch, Esperanto, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Klingon, Latin and Xhosa we'll together call out

Hallelujah, allelulia, Praise ye the LORD.

Thousands!

jIH DichDaq ghobe' taH vIp vo' wa'maHmey vo' SaDmey vo' ghotpu 'Iv ghaj cher themselves Daq jIH Daq Hoch retlh.

I will not be afraid of tens of thousands of people who have set themselves against me on every side. Psalm 3:6

(click for podcast version)

not 'ebwIj ja' - never tell me the odds!

So said a certain Corellian pilot long ago, in a galaxy far, far away. And that sentiment might well express a certain Klingon bravado, as well as David's confidence in this Psalm.

Granted, usually the Klingon attitude is one of cunning and SELF-reliance, as expressed in the familiar proverb:

qaStaHvIS wa' ram loS
SaD Hugh SIjlaH
qetbogh loD

Four thousand throats
may be cut in one night
by a running man.

SaD - thousand - is the Klingon word to consider in this verse. It's a huge number, at least when considering pitting one's efforts against a thousand - or wa'maHmey vo' SaDmey - TENS of thousands. While it isn't clear that it is a literal number - the Hebrew word rbabah (reb-aw-baw') may be translated as many, million, or, ten thousand - it IS clear that what faced David was an enemy that, practically speaking, was impossible to overcome.

Klingon too, did not originally have a word for "thousand." In fact early Klingons only had a three-based numbering system. Counting was 1, 2, 3, 3+1, 3+2 and so on. The decimal system we're familiar was only adopted to conform with more widespread galactic practices. So for a Klingon as well - "tens of thousands" of an enemy force may just be a way of describing insurmountable odds.

As I've noted before a Klingon proverb exists to describe their response to "insurmountable odds" : reH 'eb tu'lu' - there is always a chance. In other words, never give up.

But what is the source of that confidence? It's one thing to be self-assured, but another to be unrealistic. Spurgeon notes about this Psalm:

Observe that [David] does not attempt to under estimate the number or wisdom of his enemies. He reckons them at tens of thousands, and he views them as cunning huntsmen chasing him with cruel skill.

It's key for believers to rely on fellowship with one another. David could look back at his life, from facing Goliath and on, to see how God had delivered him. Through scripture, and the lives of other believers, we can connect to the history we all share, of a God who makes - AND KEEPS - promises.

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is a vital resource in understanding this. There we read of men and women of faith and how they triumphed.

who, through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee. (33-34)

Though the author doesn't sugar-coat things:

Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Others were tried by mocking and scourging .... (35-36)

The Bible shows us that David, and countless faithful have perservered through faith - in the face of impossible odds - as an example and model for us. Hebrews chapter 12 makes that clear for us:

Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us... [Heb 12:1]

As Han told C3PO:

not 'ebwIj ja' - never tell me the odds!

He's right - the odds DON'T matter. For no matter what happens, no matter how many thousands we face, God will be there when we trust in him.

DaH yIQong!

jIH laid jIH'egh bIng je Qongta'. jIH awakened; vaD joH'a' sustains jIH.

I laid myself down and slept. I awakened; for the LORD sustains me. Psalm 3:5

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What does it take to be able to get to sleep? Exercise, a clean conscience, medications? Depending on the reason that sleep eludes you, any one of those might be useful. Whatever the problem may be, sleep IS a valuable part of our lives. It isn't a waste of time - far from it. As a recent news report notes:

Doctors are beginning to stress that we need our sleep. New studies point to a number of health problems that can be caused by a lack of Zs. They indicate lack of sleep can not only effect moods, memory and weight, it can also put stress on your heart, because the body doesn't get enough oxygen. [http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=4707538]

It shouldn't be a surprise that God wants us to rest - commands it in fact as part of a code as universal as the Ten Commandments. As Psalm 127 says:

It is vain for you to rise up early, to stay up late, eating the bread of toil; for he gives sleep to his loved ones.

yashen yaw-shane' is the Hebrew word David uses here, and appears in this form fewer than 20 times in the Bible - though there are related terms, notably shehnah which appears a couple of dozen times. Translated here in Klingon as Qong - you might hear it when an exasparated Klingon parent might shout "DaH yIQong" (sleep now!) to encourage their child to get needed rest. You hear it in the Klingon word for "bed": QonqDaq, literally sleep-place.

The Life Application Bible notes:

Sleep does not come easily during a crisis. David could have had sleepless nights when his son Absalom rebelled and gathered an army to kill him. But he slept peacefully, even during the rebellion. What made the difference? David cried out to the Lord, and the Lord heard him. The assurance of answered prayer brings peace. It is easier to sleep well when we have full assurance that God is in control of circumstances. If you are lying awake at night worrying about circumstances you can’t change, pour out your heart to God, and thank him that he is in control. ...

This was the heart of David's rest, and it can be the key for us, too. Not that our prayer to God will magically all our problems, but if we turn them over to God, we can find peace from the only one who can see us hrough. This can be our key to rest - not just rest for a night, but the rest that comes from being at peace with God, a peace that will at last bring us to him in a rest and peace that is eternal.