joH'a' chutmey 'oH teH, je QaQtaHghach altogether.

The LORD's ordinances are true, and righteous altogether. Psalm 19:9b

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Klingons love nothing like a good fight - can you imagine being expected to "lay down the law" to one? To explain what God's laws, his "chutmey" are?

What does it mean to declare God's "ordinances," his chutmey areTRUE as we hear in Psalm 19?

First, because the Klingon vocabulary we know is meager - I've used a word here chut (law) to stand in for the Hebrew mishpat. That's weak, and might make us miss the point - it's far more than just "law" that the Psalmist is talking about here. One writer notes that the word here rendered chutmey (laws) in Klingon,

...refers also to the revealed truth of God, with the idea that that has been judged or determined by him to be right and to be best. It is the result of the divine adjudication as to what is true, and what is best for man. The word is often used in this sense. Compare Ex 21:1; Le 18:5; 26:43; compare Ps 9:7, Ps 9:16; 10:5. [Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible]

We're told here that these ordinances, these judgements of God are TRUE. The Hebrew word here for "true" is the same word, emeth, used in Psalm 117 when we're told "the truth (or faithfulness) of the LORD endures forever." What God says, what he decides ENDURES, it lasts. We may see people or institutions fail us, we might even see mountains crumble - but God's word, his promises are enduring.

But this isn't a purely intellectual truth, like the facts of mathematics or propositions of geometry. God's mind for us is RIGHTEOUSNESS. The word is tsadaq and encompasses the idea to be right (in a moral or forensic sense). In the KJV it is translated as cleanse, clear self, to be or do justice and more. I've rendered it here with the word QaQtaHghach, QaQ (be good), taH (ongoing) plus the nominalizing suffix ghach: QaQtaHghach it sort of means "being-good-ness." That's a thin bit of word for what God intends us to be, to be righteous when we live our lives by his judgements. Psalm 119 reminds us that living by this word can make a difference

How can a young person stay pure?
By obeying your word and following its rules.

I have tried my best to find you—
don’t let me wander from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:9-11 NLT

Part of the challenge of experimenting with the Klingon Language Version, "how might I explain this to a Klingon?" is really a way for me to translate these words into my own life. It may seem fanciful - and not altogether practical - but it has real consequences. I don't expect Klingons or aliens to show up any time soon, but when I wrestle with HOW to render something in Klingon, I gain personal insight into the application of the Scriptures in my life.

Some time ago I tried to translate the wa'maH chutmey - the ten commandments. I tried, not so much to literally translate, but to present the meanings of the commandments (http://members.aol.com/jpklingon/10c.html). I didn't do it to teach catechetical instruction - but it was, for me a bit of catechism, because it made me break the commandments down into the simplest terms I could (remember the small lexicon we have to work with). While not many tlhInganpu' will read what I did I'VE read it - and that's made a difference to me to reflect on and pray over these chutmey, these laws of the LORD. And when we do that, God can touch us, lead us and instruct us by his word.

joH'a' chutmey 'oH teH, je QaQtaHghach altogether.

The LORD's ordinances are true, and righteous altogether. Psalm 19:9b

The taHvIp vo' joH'a' ghaH Say', enduring reH.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever. Ps 19:9a

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nuqjatlh? This isn't the first time our wanderings through the Psalms has made us face what must be perplexing. At least this might be perplexing to humans, but Klingons - would understand this praise of fear. For fear is NOT a bad thing.

The taHvIp vo' joH'a' ghaH Say', enduring reH.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever. Ps 19:9a



The Hebrew here is "yira" - the same word we hear in Psalm 23's "I will fear no evil."

I've used taHvIp (afraid-to-go-on) as fear because, well, there isn't a Klingon word FOR fear. The closest is "ghIj", to scare - you do see that word appear in translation as fear, for example:

not qoHpu''e' neH ghIjlu'. // Only fools have no fear.

And that's worth noting, not just for considering the vocabulary, but to recognize that Klingons, like the Bible, recognize that FEAR CAN be positive; you'd be a fool to ignore it.

We're told here that it's CLEAN. Say' in Klingon, or tahowr in Hebrew, from a root meaning to "be bright."

What does that mean - how does "fear" "cleanse"?


Considering Psalm 19:9, Charles Spurgeon notes:

The doctrine of truth is here described by its spiritual effect,... inward piety, or the fear of the Lord; this is clean in itself, and cleanses out the love of sin, sanctifying the heart in which it reigns. Mr. Godly fear is never satisfied till every street, lane, and alley, yea, and every house and every corner ... is clean...

This is to our benefit - and it explains the Pslamist's word "enduring forever", because as Spurgeon continues:

"Filth brings decay, but cleanness is the great foe of corruption. The grace of God in the heart being a pure principle, is also an abiding and incorruptible principle, which may be crushed for a time, but cannot be utterly destroyed."

It's the difference between running shoes you take CARE of, or mildewy sneakers that have been "put away wet": THEY won't last. Ill treated things just don't last. The fear of the LORD cleanses - sets priorities, makes us give things up as we face our own shortcomings in light of God's Word.

Proverbs describes "the fear of the LORD" this way:

The taHvIp vo' joH'a' ghaH Daq muS mIghtaHghach. jIH muS pride, arrogance, the mIghtaHghach way, je the perverse nuj.

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth. (Proverbs 8:13)

What a terrific "todo list!" - I need to use it, to consider my life, my habits and ways and use it to, with God's help, root out all those things that weigh me down, that keep me from shining bright as God regards me!


The taHvIp vo' joH'a' ghaH Say', enduring reH.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever. Ps 19:9a

Πᾶσαν χαρὰν ἡγήσασθε , ἀδελφοί μου , ὅταν πειρασμοῖς περιπέσητε ποικίλοις 

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials

Count 'oH Hoch Quch, wIj loDnI'pu', ghorgh SoH pum Daq various temptations   James 1:2

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This morning I had to alter my normal bike route.  I needed to swing by the ATM as well as drop off an overdue book at the library.  So I found myself biking down an unfamiliar street.  As I moved through, I spotted a flash of movement - a bird?  No, it was a paper airplane.  When I looked again, I saw its "pilot,"  a 7 year old barefoot boy in his pajamas, happily launching his plane into the air again and again.

I can't say why, but that moment just gave me a lift.  As I sailed on to work, I thought of him, enjoying a warm summer morning, standing, running and leaping in his front yard to fly on his wings of paper.

The apostle James, in his letter to believers scattered throughout the known world, reminds us

Consider it all joy  Count 'oH Hoch Quch

As we've spread farther across Earth,  as we spread out into the solar system and beyond, we need to hear those words.

This joy spoken of in the Bible - Xara in the Greek, is cheerfulness, i.e. calm delight - something I think I saw in that boy as he launched out into the morning skies with his airplane.  It's what James advises us to find in the midst of lifes trials.  Never forget - the Bible is NOT unrealistic.  The call to joy isn't blind optimism, but a trusting faith that relies on a loving God to lead us through trouble.

Certainly no Klingon would think that Quch - happiness - was found denying the difficulties of life.  But Klingons would NOT let those trials prevent them from finding the Quch, the Joy in life as we do find it.

Whether we speak of JOY, or XARA or QUCH - remember, that calm delight is indeed what God wants you to find.  This is what Jesus is promising when he says:

              tlhob, je SoH DichDaq Hev, vetlh lIj Quch may taH chenmoHta' teblu'ta'.

              Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.  John 16:24

This summer day, as you have opportunity, kick off your shoes!  Run through the grass!  Take delight in God's love and the reassurance that he does indeed desire that  lIj Quch may taH chenmoHta' teblu'ta' - your joy may be made full.

joH'a' precepts 'oH nIH, rejoicing the tIq. joH'a' ra'ta'ghach mu' ghaH pure, enlightening the mInDu'.

The LORD's precepts are right, rejoicing the heart. The LORD's commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes.  PS 19:8

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This summer is turning out to be a busy one for me.  It's my own fault - I tried out for - and got in - a musical.  That's only one of the reasons I haven't had much time for podcasts, but it's a big one.  It's been a long time since I was in a show like this - I'd forgotten how much it was like taking a second job.  Despite the work, it's a great group and really a lot of fun.

If you've ever been in a show, you'll know that, among other things the work includes the task of memorizing the music and words you're expected to sing and say.  This is somthing you can't fudge - you've got to get it right.  You need to know those words by heart.  The words have to be ready at the moment you're expected to say (or sing) them. AND EVERYONE in the show has to do this - you need to be ready and quickly say your part in turn.  When you do, the show comes to life.

The psalmist here reminds us of the power of bringing the Word to your heart   When it goes IN to your heart - it can give a rejoicing heart, and it gives you an OUTLOOK, a way to look and see clearly.

As the NLT puts it:
The commandments of the LORD are right,
bringing joy to the heart.
    The commands of the LORD are clear,
giving insight to life.

Today, we think of "the heart" -(lebh in Hebrew, or tIq in Klingon) as "the emotions."  It's often contrasted with our logical, mental side - but this isn't the Biblical picture, for the heart encompasses the whole range of our inner life.  We go too far when we think we can divide our selves into pieces, like parts of a machine.  As Easton's Bible Dictionary notes:

According to the Bible, the heart is the centre not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life. "Heart" and "soul" are often used interchangeably (Deut. 6:5; 26:16; comp. Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30, 33), but this is not generally the case. The heart is the "home of the personal life," and hence a man is designated, according to his heart, wise (1 Kings 3:12, etc.), pure (Ps. 24:4; Matt. 5:8, etc.), upright and righteous (Gen. 20:5, 6; Ps. 11:2; 78:72), pious and good (Luke 8:15), etc. ...The heart is also the seat of the conscience (Rom. 2:15). 

When we take this word into our heart, our leb, in the Hebrew, or tIq in Klingon - we can rejoice.  Not because we've stored up something and are holding it inside, but because that word, once inside, drives us with a new outlook - it can give us the "script" as it were to guide us in our lives.

In less than two weeks I'll be on a stage with dozens of other cast members putting on a show.  We've had the scripts for weeks and have all been working on this show.  IF we only learned the words, and held them in our mental filing cabinets - well, the show would be a bust.  But when we learn it all by heart, and then use those words to ACT, to interact, to laugh and sing - we will bring our story to life.  

And it's a reminder that all of us need to store up God's word in our heart - not as more index cards in our mental file, but the script for our lives, to drive our actions!

joH'a' precepts 'oH nIH, rejoicing the tIq. joH'a' ra'ta'ghach mu' ghaH pure, enlightening the mInDu'.

The LORD's precepts are right, rejoicing the heart. The LORD's commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes.  PS 19:8

joH'a' chut ghaH perfect, restoring the qa'. joH'a' testimony ghaH sure, making val the nap.

The LORD's law is perfect, restoring the soul. The LORD's testimony is sure, making wise the simple. Psalms 19:7

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What do you think of when you hear the word "law?" Do you picture a courtroom, a judge, a politician or a police officer? Maybe you think of a scientist or engineer, defining the limits of the Universe, and learning how to extend our knowledge and ablility to use creation.

The problem is, of course, "law" is a small word that covers a tremendous amount of territory. From the details of life and personal relations, to the farthest limits of the cosmos, we use "law" to encompass rules of nature and commerce and politics and more. One dictionary I looked at had 26 different entries!

chut is the Klingon word for law. Like our English term, it's short - and doesn't give us much hint at how to apply it. I actually didn't come across any USES of the term in the online tools I have on hand - so we don't know too much about how flexibly Klingon's use "chut."

joH'a' chut ghaH perfect, restoring the qa'. joH'a' testimony ghaH sure, making val the nap.

The LORD's law is perfect, restoring the soul. The LORD's testimony is sure, making wise the simple. Psalms 19:7



But what does the Bible mean when it speaks of Law? Barnes notes:

The word used here - torah - is that which is commonly employed in the Old Testament with reference to the law of God, and is usually rendered "law." The word properly means "instruction," "precept," from a verb signifying "to teach." It is then used with reference to instruction or teaching in regard to conduct, and is thus applied to all that God has communicated to guide mankind. It does not here, nor does it commonly, refer exclusively to the commands of God, but it includes all that God has revealed to teach and guide us.

We can tell a lot by context. Sometimes when you hear someone and you miss a word, you can infer the meaning or the missing word by the context - I think that works here. When the psalmist talks about the law what does he tell us about it? It "restores the soul" and it "makes wise the simple."

It's so easy to hear a word like "law" and conjure up oppressive images - judgment, conviction and punishment. But the aim, the intent of God's law is to bring us to life, to revive us, to guide us toward wisdom. The Life Application Bible observes:

When we think of the law, we often think of something that keeps us from having fun. But here we see the opposite: God’s laws revive us, make us wise, bring joy to the heart, give insight, warn us, and reward us. God’s laws are guidelines and lights for our path, rather than chains on our hands and feet. They point at danger to warn us, then point at success to guide us.

Certainly there is "law" in the sense of rules - the ten commandments is a key example of that - but that part of the law is only the beginning. Especially when we recognize that - however we define God's rules - we'll never measure up. The law in such a sense doesn't tell us "how to get on God's good side" - rather is shows us how much we fall short and need his mercy - as Paul says "For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard" (Romans 3:23). Here's the wisdom we find in the law - when we try to measure up, we discover how short we fall.

But there's more - the part of this "law" that encompasses God's teaching can revive us - for Paul reminds us

God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. (Eph. 2:8,9)


As the LAB notes
We become Christians through God’s unmerited favor, not as the result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or act of service on our part. However, out of gratitude for this free gift, we will seek to help and serve others with kindness, love, and gentleness, and not merely to please ourselves. While no action or work we do can help us obtain salvation, God’s intention is that our salvation will result in acts of service.


joH'a' chut ghaH perfect, restoring the qa'. joH'a' testimony ghaH sure, making val the nap.

The LORD's law is perfect, restoring the soul. The LORD's testimony is sure, making wise the simple. Psalms 19:7



Call it Torah, Law, or chut - the Scriptures give us a testimony that is far more than a rule book. It gives us LIFE, pointing out not only how we are in need, but how freely God meets that need. To which I can only say HIja'! YES!

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