The Punjabi Zaboor Heritage

The historic metrical translation of all 150 biblical Psalms by Rev. Imam-ud-Din Shahbaz (1898–1908), preserving Scripture in South Asian classical ragas.

Between 1898 and 1908 the Sialkot Mission in undivided Punjab produced the Punjabi Zaboor. Translating from the Hebrew Masoretic text, Rev. Shahbaz versified all 150 Psalms into traditional Punjabi poetic meters (Bahr).

Rather than imposing Western hymn tunes, the metrical psalms were deliberately married to native ragas (Bhairavi, Yaman, Pahadi, Kafi), so that Punjabi Christians could worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in their own mother tongue.

Browse or search all 150 metrical Psalms, with direct links to the official punjabizaboor1908.com digital repository, and see arrangers and tabla masters associated with the tradition.