Zabur

فَإِن كَذَّبُوكَ فَقَدْ كُذِّبَ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ جَآءُو بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَٱلزُّبُرِ وَٱلْكِتَـٰبِ ٱلْمُنِيرِ
And if they deny thee, then denied were the messengers who were before thee, who came with the clear signs, and the writings (Zubur), and the Illuminating Writ.
(3:184)

Arabic: zubur (sg. zabūr). The underlying etymology is of writing or book. Translated by some as Psalms in some contexts, this value does not hold across the set (3:184, 16:44, 23:53, 26:196, 35:25, 54:43, 54:52). However, the Psalms are found within that portion of the Hebrew scriptures called כְּתוּבִים‎ (ketuvim) or writings, which appears to be the underlying sense. We render here according to context. All instances reference this verse.

إِنَّآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ كَمَآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَعِيسَىٰ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ وَهَـٰرُونَ وَسُلَيْمَـٰنَ وَءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُۥدَ زَبُورًا
We have revealed to thee as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him, and We revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, and Jacob and the Grandsons, and Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and We gave David writings (zabūr),
(4:163)

Or psalms. Arabic: zabūr. For the generic meaning of this word see note to 3:184. However, on the basis of 21:105, I agree that zabūr indicates psalms in the sense of written songs. This word occurs at 4:163, 17:55 and 21:105.

وَرَبُّكَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَقَدْ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُۥدَ زَبُورًا
And thy Lord best knows who is in the heavens and the earth. And We have preferred some prophets over others; and We gave to David Psalms (Zabūr).
(17:55)

i.e. as a token of God’s grace to him (I acknowledge Muhammad Asad for this insight). Or writings. Arabic: zabūr. For the generic meaning of this word see note to 3:184. However, on the basis of 21:105, I agree that zabūr indicates psalms in the sense of written songs. This word occurs at 4:163, 17:55 and 21:105.

وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِى ٱلزَّبُورِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱلذِّكْرِ أَنَّ ٱلْأَرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِىَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحُونَ
And We decreed in the Psalms (Zabūr) after the remembrance: “My righteous servants will inherit the earth.”
(21:105)

Or writings. Arabic: zabūr. For the generic meaning of this word see note to 3:184. However, on the basis of 21:105, I agree that zabūr indicates psalms in the sense of written songs. This word occurs at 4:163, 17:55 and 21:105. Muhammad Asad notes here: Zabar (lit., “scripture” or “book”) is a generic term denoting any “book of wisdom”: hence, any and all of the divine scriptures revealed by God to the prophets [Tabari]. What follows in the text is a direct quote from Psalms 37. It occurs at Psalms 37:29, but comparable verses are found at Psalms 37:9, 37:11, 37:22. On a related point, I have wondered why, given that Psalms 37 is quoted in the Qur’an, the Traditionalist is so little interested in its contents. I believe I have the answer: it is because its contents are inconvenient to his broader project. Consider that Psalms 37:11 reads: וענוים יירשו־ארץ והתענגו על־רב שלום׃ (But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace), while Psalms 37:37 reads: שמר־תם וראה ישר כי־אחרית לאיש שלום (Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.) The word in both verses rendered peace (Hebrew: shalowm) is based on the same root from which muslīm and islām are formed in the Arabic of the Qur’an. And while Psalms 37 lacks any support for the Traditionalist’s religion, it is rich in the very themes which we identify in this work as central to the Qur’anic narrative.

Lane's Lexicon Page 1210

Lane's Lexicon Page 1210

Lane's Lexicon Page 1211