Semantic Analysis
Semantic Analysis: Psalms (Full Book)
English → Bengali Language Package Extension
Curriculum: Psalms Core passage: Psalm 23:1-6 Assigned doctrines: The Character of God as Shepherd, King, and Refuge; Lament and Honest Prayer; Praise and Worship; Messianic Prophecy in the Psalms; Confession and Forgiveness (Psalm 51); The Righteous and the Wicked (Psalm 1); Covenant Faithfulness (Hesed); Kingship and the Messianic King (Psalms 2 and 110) Generated: 2026-07-03
Adaptation Note (Required Reading Before Use)
The baseline Romans Language Package was built from the Koine Greek New Testament. Psalms is Hebrew poetry from the Tanakh (Old Testament), so this analysis works from the Masoretic Hebrew text, not Koine Greek. Two consequences follow:
- Where a Hebrew term has an established Septuagint (LXX) Greek equivalent that later became a fixed New Testament theological term (e.g., מָשִׁיחַ mashiach → LXX χριστός → NT “Christ”), that LXX/NT bridge is cited explicitly, because it governs whether the baseline’s NT-anchored Bengali rendering (e.g., খ্রীষ্ট) may be reused or must be distinguished.
- Psalms introduces a large stratum of covenant-name, worship, and lament vocabulary that Romans never needed (Yhwh as the personal covenant name, hesed, shepherd, refuge, sanctuary praise vocabulary). These are new entries, not present in the baseline
translation_memory.json, and are proposed here for adoption into the Language Package. Every proposed new term is checked against the baseline’s forbidden-substitution logic and Bengal’s specific religious landscape (Vaishnava/Shakta Hindu bhakti culture, Bengali Islam) before being recommended.
All terms already fixed in the baseline (গৌ, ঈশ্বর, প্রভু, যীশু, খ্রীষ্ট, পাপ, ধার্মিকতা, পরিত্রাণ, অনুগ্রহ, বিশ্বাস, পবিত্র, পবিত্র আত্মা, নিয়ম, মহিমা, আমেন, হাল্লিলূয়া, ইস্রায়েল, দায়ূদ, ঈশ্বরের মনোনয়ন, ঈশ্বরের পরিচালনা, ইত্যাদি) are reused exactly and are not redefined below except to note a Psalms-specific nuance.
PART A — CORE PASSAGE: Psalm 23:1-6 (Verse-by-Verse)
Psalm 23:1
Hebrew: מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד יְהוָה רֹעִי לֹא אֶחְסָר
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Theological Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psalm (title) מִזְמוֹר mizmor ”a song accompanied by plucked strings” | liturgical song genre psalm, song | Names the genre: a composed, musical, covenant-community song, not spontaneous folk verse | গীত/সংগীত — established Bengali Bible book title গীতসংহিতা (“collection of songs”) already fixes মিজমোর সংগীত. Low risk. |
| LORD (divine name) יְהוָה YHWH (traditionally read Adonai) the personal covenant name of God, from the root “to be” | God’s self-revealed, personal, covenant-keeping name (Exodus 3:14; 6:2-8) LORD (small caps), Yahweh, Jehovah | The Shepherd of v.1 is not a generic deity but the covenant God who bound himself to Israel by name | সদাপ্রভু (Sadaprabhu). Critical — NEW baseline entry required. সদাপ্রভু is the established Bengali Bible convention for the Tetragrammaton (distinct from generic প্রভু, which the baseline reserves for κύριος/Adonai in address). Conflating সদাপ্রভু with প্রভু erases the covenant-name dimension central to every Psalm; they must never be used interchangeably. See glossary entry yhwh_lord. |
| my shepherd רֹעִי ro’i (from רָעָה, ra’ah, “to pasture, tend, shepherd”) “the one who pastures/tends me” | tending, feeding, leading, protecting livestock; by extension, kingly/divine care of a people shepherd, tends, keeper | Establishes the controlling metaphor of the whole psalm and the doctrine “Character of God as Shepherd”: personal, daily, sustaining care | মেষপালক (meshpalak, lit. “sheep-tender”). Critical — NEW term, do not use রাখাল. রাখাল is the common Bengali word for a cowherd/generic herder, but in Bengali Vaishnava bhakti culture রাখাল is inseparably associated with Krishna as the divine cowherd boy of Vrindavan (বালগোপাল/রাখাল রাজা imagery central to Bengali Krishna devotion). Using রাখাল for God as Shepherd would strongly invite a Krishna-bhakti reading. মেষপালক (sheep-specific) is the term already used in established Bengali NT translations of John 10:11 (“উত্তম মেষপালক,” the Good Shepherd) and must be the fixed Psalms rendering as well. |
| I shall not want/lack לֹא אֶחְסָר lo echsar (from חָסֵר, chaser, “to lack, be without”) “I will not lack” | total sufficiency, absence of need shall not want, shall lack nothing, have everything I need | Confidence that the Shepherd’s provision is comprehensive — connects to the doctrine of providence (ঈশ্বরের পরিচালনা, reused from baseline) | আমার কোন অভাব হবে না। Low risk; standard idiomatic Bengali. |
Psalm 23:2
Hebrew: בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא יַרְבִּיצֵנִי עַל־מֵי מְנֻחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| green pastures נְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא ne’ot deshe ”pastures of tender grass” | lush, safe grazing ground green pastures, meadows | Provision that is not bare survival but abundant rest | সবুজ চারণভূমি (shobuj charonbhumi). Low-Medium. No competing religious association; keep concrete pastoral image rather than abstracting to “blessing.” |
| he makes me lie down יַרְבִּיצֵנִי yarbitseni (from רָבַץ, ravats, “to lie down, recline”) causes to recline in safety | rest given by another’s initiative, not self-secured makes me lie down, gives me rest | The Shepherd, not the sheep, initiates the rest — grace-shaped provision, not self-achieved calm | শুইয়ে দেন / বিশ্রাম করান। Low. |
| still waters מֵי מְנֻחוֹת mei menuchot ”waters of resting-places” | calm, safe drinking water (sheep will not drink from rushing water) still waters, quiet waters, waters of rest | Peaceful sufficiency, not merely water’s absence of turbulence | বিশ্রামের জল / শান্ত জলাশয়। Medium. Must not be rendered so abstractly (“শান্তি,” peace) that it loses the concrete shepherding image; keep the water/pasture picture intact for the doctrine of God as Shepherd. |
| he leads me יְנַהֲלֵנִי yenahaleni (from נָהַל, nahal, “to lead gently, guide”) leads gently, guides along | tender, patient guidance (distinct from נָהַג, “drive/herd forcefully”) leads me, guides me | The Shepherd leads gently, not by force — pastoral, relational guidance | পরিচালিত করেন / চালিয়ে নিয়ে যান। Low. Note the gentleness nuance (নাহাল vs. driving) for teaching use. |
Psalm 23:3
Hebrew: נַפְשִׁי יְשׁוֹבֵב יַנְחֵנִי בְמַעְגְּלֵי־צֶדֶק לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| my soul נַפְשִׁי nafshi (from נֶפֶשׁ, nephesh) “my breath/life/whole self” | the whole living person, not a detachable inner “soul-substance” soul, life, whole being | Hebrew nephesh names the whole person, not a Platonic immortal soul-part | প্রাণ (pran). Medium-High — NEW term. প্রাণ in Bengali carries a strong Vedantic/yogic association with a life-force or inner “vital breath” (prāṇa is a technical term in Hindu yogic physiology, e.g. prāṇāyāma breathing practice). Translator note required: nephesh/প্রাণ here means “my whole self/life,” not a yogic energy-substance. No safer single word exists in standard Bengali Bible usage, so প্রাণ is retained with an explanatory note wherever theologically load-bearing. |
| he restores יְשׁוֹבֵב yeshovev (from שׁוּב, shuv, “to turn back, return, restore”) “he turns/brings back” | revival, renewal, bringing back from faintness or wandering restores, revives, brings back | The Shepherd actively revives the sheep’s flagging life — an act of grace, not self-recovery | ফিরিয়ে আনেন / পুনরুজ্জীবিত করেন। Low-Medium. |
| paths of righteousness מַעְגְּלֵי־צֶדֶק ma’gelei tsedeq ”well-worn tracks of righteousness/rightness” | right, straight paths as opposed to crooked ones; tsedeq = “rightness, righteousness” paths of righteousness, right paths | Guidance toward conduct that conforms to God’s own righteous character | ধার্মিকতার পথ. Critical — reuse baseline root exactly. ধার্মিকতা is the baseline’s fixed Critical-risk term for righteousness (never ধর্ম). The compound must never collapse to “ধর্মের পথ” (“the path of religion”), which baseline explicitly forbids. |
| for his name’s sake לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ lema’an shemo ”on account of / for the sake of his name” | motivation rooted in God’s own character/reputation, not the sheep’s merit for his name’s sake, because of who he is | Guidance is grounded in God’s own covenant character, not the sheep’s worthiness — a grace-adjacent motif | তাঁর নামের জন্য। Medium. Teaching note: reinforces that the Shepherd’s care is unearned (echoes baseline’s grace doctrine, অনুগ্রহ), not a response to the sheep’s merit. |
Psalm 23:4
Hebrew: גַּם כִּי־אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת לֹא־אִירָא רָע כִּי־אַתָּה עִמָּדִי שִׁבְטְךָ וּמִשְׁעַנְתֶּךָ הֵמָּה יְנַחֲמֻנִי
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| valley of the shadow of death גֵּיא צַלְמָוֶת gei tsalmaveth ”valley of deep darkness/death-shadow” | a compound intensifying “deep darkness” (tsalmaveth = tsel + maveth, “shadow” + “death”) often used for mortal danger generally, not only literal dying valley of the shadow of death, darkest valley, deepest darkness | Any season of mortal danger or deep distress, not a specific cosmological location | মৃত্যুচ্ছায়ার উপত্যকা। High. Translator note required: this names any season of deadly danger/darkness in the shepherd’s path, not a specific tier of the Hindu multi-layered cosmic underworld (see পাতাল/Sheol note at Ps 6, 16, 30, 88 below); the point is presence-in-danger, not geography-of-the-afterlife. |
| I will fear no evil לֹא־אִירָא רָע lo ira ra ”I will not fear evil/harm” | fear of danger, calamity, moral evil I will fear no evil, I fear nothing | Confidence rests entirely in the Shepherd’s presence, not the absence of danger | আমি কোন অমঙ্গলের ভয় করব না। Low. |
| you are with me אַתָּה עִמָּדִי attah immadi ”you [are] with me” | God’s felt, personal presence (echoes Immanuel theology) you are with me | The turn from third person (“he leads me”) to direct second-person address — intimacy at the point of greatest danger | তুমি/আপনি আমার সঙ্গে আছ। Medium. Register choice: use আপনি-register address to God consistently with the rest of the Language Package’s prayer/address convention (baseline tone rules). |
| rod and staff שִׁבְטְךָ וּמִשְׁעַנְתֶּךָ shivtecha u-mish’antecha ”your rod (shevet) and your walking-staff (mish’enet)“ | shevet = a shepherd’s club/rod for driving off predators and for counting/guiding sheep; mish’enet = a staff to lean on and to steady the flock rod and staff | Instruments of both correction/protection and support — the Shepherd’s discipline and steadying comfort are one coherent care, not opposing forces | দণ্ড ও লাঠি / রাখালের দণ্ড ও নির্ভরের লাঠি। Medium. Keep the two distinct implements visible in translation (protective rod vs. supportive staff) so the pastoral doctrine of disciplined comfort is not flattened into one vague “staff.” |
| they comfort me יְנַחֲמֻנִי yenachamuni (from נָחַם, nacham, “to comfort, console”) “they comfort/console me” | consolation, relief from distress comfort me, console me | The Shepherd’s correcting and supporting tools are themselves sources of comfort, not merely control | আমাকে সান্ত্বনা দেয়। Low. |
Psalm 23:5
Hebrew: תַּעֲרֹךְ לְפָנַי שֻׁלְחָן נֶגֶד צֹרְרָי דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| you prepare a table תַּעֲרֹךְ שֻׁלְחָן ta’arokh shulchan ”you arrange/set a table” | formal hospitality, a host’s provision for a guest you prepare a table, you spread a feast | The Shepherd-metaphor shifts to Host-metaphor: God as generous host even amid hostile surroundings | তুমি/আপনি আমার সামনে টেবিল/মেজ সাজান। Low-Medium. |
| in the presence of my enemies נֶגֶד צֹרְרָי neged tsorerai ”in front of/opposite my adversaries” | public vindication before hostile onlookers in the presence of my enemies | God’s provision is not hidden but publicly vindicating | আমার শত্রুদের সামনে। Low. |
| you anoint my head with oil דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי dishanta bashemen roshi (from דָּשֵׁן, dashen, “to make fat/rich, anoint richly”) “you make my head fat/richly anointed with oil” | a host’s gesture of lavish honor and refreshment for a guest (cf. Luke 7:46) — NOT the technical royal/priestly consecration verb anoint my head with oil | An act of festive honor and refreshment, not royal enthronement | তেল দিয়ে আমার মাথা সিক্ত/অভিষিক্ত করেন। High — precision note required. This verb (דָּשֵׁן) is philologically distinct from מָשַׁח (mashach), the technical anointing verb behind “Messiah/অভিষিক্ত” (see Ps 2:2, 89:20, 110 below). Translators must not import royal-messianic weight into this hospitality image; recommend a distinct verb — তেল দিয়ে মাথা সিক্ত করা (“moisten/anoint the head with oil” as a guest-honoring gesture) — reserving অভিষেক করা for the technical royal/priestly sense elsewhere in the Psalter. |
| my cup overflows כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה kosi revayah ”my cup [is] saturation/abundance” | overflowing, more-than-sufficient provision my cup overflows, my cup runs over | Provision beyond mere sufficiency into abundance | আমার পানপাত্র উপচে পড়ছে। Low. |
Psalm 23:6
Hebrew: אַךְ טוֹב וָחֶסֶד יִרְדְּפוּנִי כָּל־יְמֵי חַיָּי וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית־יְהוָה לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| goodness טוֹב tov ”good, goodness” | moral and material good, benefit, kindness goodness, good | God’s active benevolence, paired with hesed | মঙ্গল (mongol). Low-Medium. |
| mercy / lovingkindness (hesed) חֶסֶד chesed ”covenant-loyal love/kindness” | steadfast, covenant-bound loyal love that goes beyond what is owed; combines loyalty + kindness + faithfulness mercy, lovingkindness, steadfast love, unfailing love, covenant love | God’s covenant faithfulness pursuing the psalmist like a companion for life — the core term for the assigned doctrine “Covenant Faithfulness (Hesed)“ | অবিচল দয়া (obichol doya). Critical — NEW baseline entry required. See full discussion in glossary entry hesed. Plain দয়া alone (the older Bengali Bible’s simple rendering) risks being read as generic compassion/pity (as in Hindu bhakti karuna or Islamic rahmah), losing the covenant-bound, relationship-anchored dimension central to this doctrine. অবিচল (“unwavering, unmoved”) supplies that missing covenant-permanence sense. |
| they shall follow/pursue me יִרְדְּפוּנִי yirdefuni (from רָדַף, radaph, “to pursue, chase”) “they will pursue/chase me” | the same verb normally used for a pursuing enemy, here reversed: goodness and hesed “chase” the psalmist shall follow me, shall pursue me | A deliberate ironic reversal — instead of enemies pursuing, God’s goodness and covenant love pursue the believer | আমাকে অনুসরণ/অনুগমন করবে। Medium. Teaching note: the underlying verb is the same one used for hostile pursuit elsewhere in the Psalter (e.g., Ps 7:5), and the reversal is worth preserving in commentary even if the Bengali verb itself is neutral. |
| I will dwell וְשַׁבְתִּי veshavti (from שׁוּב/יָשַׁב wordplay; here from יָשַׁב, yashav, “to dwell, sit, remain”) “I will dwell/remain” | settled, permanent residence, not a temporary visit I will dwell, I shall dwell, I will return | Permanent covenant fellowship, not episodic access to God’s presence | আমি বসবাস করব / থাকব। Medium. |
| house of the LORD בֵּית־יְהוָה beit YHWH ”house of YHWH” | the sanctuary/temple precinct; by extension, ongoing covenant fellowship with God house of the LORD | Fixes the psalmist’s ultimate hope in nearness to God himself, not merely favorable circumstances | সদাপ্রভুর গৃহ. Critical — must use সদাপ্রভু (per the yhwh_lord entry above), not generic প্রভুর গৃহ, to keep the covenant-name force. |
| forever / length of days לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים le’orekh yamim ”for length of days” | a Hebrew idiom for “as long as I live” / “continually,” which later Christian reading legitimately extends toward eternal fellowship forever, all the days of my life, my whole life long | Primary Old Testament sense: continual nearness to God throughout this life; New Testament-informed teaching may rightly extend this toward eternal life without claiming the psalmist consciously intended it | (আমার জীবনের) সমস্ত দিন / চিরকাল। Medium. Recommend সমস্ত দিন (“all my days”) as the primary rendering to preserve the Hebrew idiom’s this-life referent, with a teaching note (not a textual change) pointing forward to the fuller New Testament hope of eternal দৃষ্টি of God. |
PART B — BOOK-WIDE CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER STUDY (Psalms 1–150)
Psalm 1 — The Righteous and the Wicked
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| blessed אֶשְׁרֵי ashrei ”happinesses of…” (a plural construct exclamation) | a declarative “how happy/blessed is…” not a benediction-formula (contrast בָּרוּךְ, barukh, below) blessed, happy | Announces a state of flourishing that results from right relationship to God’s instruction | ধন্য (dhonyo). Low-Medium. Keep distinct in teaching from ধন্য used for barukh-benedictions (see Ps 41). |
| the wicked רָשָׁע rasha ”wicked, guilty, in the wrong” | one who is morally/legally in the wrong before God wicked, ungodly, wrongdoer | The direct antithesis-class to the righteous throughout the Psalter | দুষ্ট (dushto). High — NEW term. Establishes the fixed rendering for רָשָׁע across the whole book (reused without redefinition in Ps 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 26, 28, 32, 34, 36, 37, 50, 58, 68, 71, 73, 75, 82, 91, 92, 94, 97, 101, 104, 109, 112, 119, 125, 129, 139, 140, 141, 145, 146). |
| law / instruction (Torah) תּוֹרָה torah ”instruction, teaching,” from יָרָה “to point/direct” | God’s revealed covenant instruction, broader than a legal code — includes narrative, wisdom, worship instruction law, instruction, teaching | The righteous person’s delight and continual meditation, framing all 150 psalms as itself part of Torah-shaped reflection | ব্যবস্থা (bebostha). High — reuse the baseline’s fixed νόμος rendering for continuity, but add a translator note: in the Psalms, তোরাহ/torah frequently carries a broader “joyful instruction/teaching” sense (delight, meditation) rather than the narrower Romans-context “legal code contrasted with grace” sense. Do not let readers import Romans’ law-versus-grace argument into every Psalms occurrence of ব্যবস্থা. |
| meditates הָגָה hagah ”to murmur, mutter, ponder aloud” | low, murmuring repetition of a text, akin to reciting under one’s breath meditate, ponder, muse | Continuous, verbal-internal engagement with God’s instruction, forming character | চিন্তা করে / মনে মনে আবৃত্তি করে. Critical — NEVER ধ্যান করে. ধ্যান is the fixed technical term for yogic meditative absorption (a specific limb of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga; also central to Buddhist practice), an altered-consciousness discipline entirely different from hagah’s verbal, textual rumination. Using ধ্যান would import a yogic-technique frame onto simple, ongoing reflection on Scripture. Recommend “মনে মনে আবৃত্তি করে” (repeats within oneself) or “গভীরভাবে চিন্তা করে” (thinks deeply upon). |
| like a tree / like chaff כְּעֵץ / כַּמֹּץ ke-‘ets / ka-mots ”like a tree” / “like chaff” | agrarian imagery: a well-rooted, fruit-bearing tree vs. worthless windblown husk like a tree planted / like chaff the wind drives away | Contrasts the stability/fruitfulness of the righteous with the rootless instability of the wicked | গাছের মতো / তুষের মতো। Low. |
| the way / path דֶּרֶךְ derekh ”way, road, manner of life” | a whole life-course/manner of living, not a literal road way, path, life-course | Frames righteousness and wickedness as two entire trajectories of life, not isolated deeds | পথ। Low. Note connection to ধার্মিকতার পথ established at Psalm 23:3. |
Psalm 2 — Kingship and the Messianic King
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| his Anointed מְשִׁיחוֹ meshicho (from מָשִׁיחַ, mashiach, “anointed one,” root מָשַׁח, mashach, “to smear/anoint with oil”) “his anointed one” | the Davidic king consecrated by anointing; the term the LXX renders χριστός, later crystallized in the NT as “the Christ” his Anointed, his Christ, his Messiah | The specific OT covenant office fulfilled climactically and exclusively in Jesus — the anchor text for “Messianic Prophecy in the Psalms” | অভিষিক্ত জন (obhishikto jon). Critical — NEW term, distinguished from খ্রীষ্ট. Do not render every OT occurrence of מָשִׁיחַ as খ্রীষ্ট; that baseline term is reserved for the NT title applied to the fulfilled person of Jesus. অভিষিক্ত জন preserves the OT anticipatory horizon (a to-be-fulfilled office) so that teaching can then show its fulfillment in যীশু খ্রীষ্ট without collapsing prophecy into fulfillment prematurely. Reject মশীহ per baseline’s existing rejection (Islamic-idiom collision). This entry governs Ps 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 28:8; 45 (implicitly); 84:9; 89:20,38,51; 105:15; 132:10,17. |
| the nations rage לְאֻמִּים / גוֹיִם le’ummim / goyim ”peoples / nations” | political-religious powers opposing God’s rule nations, peoples | Universal human rebellion against God’s appointed king — a pattern the NT applies directly to opposition against Christ (Acts 4:25-26) | জাতিগণ। Medium. Distinct from বাseline’s “gentiles” (পরজাতি), which specifically marks non-Jews relative to Jews; here জাতিগণ/গোয়িম simply means “the nations/peoples of the earth” generically — do not substitute পরজাতি, which would wrongly import a Jew/Gentile contrast absent from this text. |
| I have set my King מָלַכְתִּי מַלְכִּי malakhti malki ”I have installed/enthroned my king” | formal royal installation I have set/installed my King | God’s own sovereign installation of the Davidic-Messianic king on Zion | রাজা করে বসিয়েছি / রাজপদে অভিষিক্ত করেছি। Medium-High. রাজা (raja) itself is Bengal’s ordinary word for king, used equally of Hindu mythic-god-kings (e.g., Rama as raja of Ayodhya) and historical rulers; the term is unavoidable, but doctrine notes must make clear God’s king here is not one raja-avatar among Hindu cosmology’s many, but the singular covenant king ordained by the one true God. |
| You are my Son בְּנִי אַתָּה beni attah ”you [are] my son” | royal adoption/enthronement formula (cf. 2 Samuel 7:14) in its OT setting; taken up messianically and applied to Christ’s eternal divine Sonship in the NT (Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5) You are my Son | In its OT setting, a coronation formula for the Davidic king; in its NT-informed fulfillment, testimony to the eternal Son | ঈশ্বরের পুত্র-family vocabulary — reuse baseline’s fixed Critical-risk phrase for the NT fulfillment sense, but for the bare OT coronation-formula sense here render literally তুমি আমার পুত্র (you are my son) with a mandatory translator note distinguishing the OT royal-adoption idiom from the NT’s unique, eternal, ontological Sonship of Christ (baseline sonship_of_christ doctrine) — this distinction matters acutely for Muslim-background readers, per baseline guidance. |
| kiss the Son / do homage נַשְּׁקוּ־בַר nashqu-var ”kiss [homage-gesture toward] the son/pure one” (a difficult Aramaic-loan form) | ritual gesture of submission/homage to a sovereign kiss the Son, do homage, pay honor | Call to submit to God’s appointed King, on pain of judgment | বশ্যতা স্বীকার করো / প্রণাম করো। High. Avoid প্রণাম if it evokes the specific Hindu ritual gesture of touching feet/prostrating before a deity or guru in a way that could be read as one devotional option among many; prefer বশ্যতা স্বীকার করো (“acknowledge submission”) to keep the exclusivity of the claim clear. |
| refuge חָסָה chasah (verbal root behind מַחְסֶה, machaseh) “to seek shelter, take refuge” | seeking protective shelter, as a bird under wings or an animal in a rock crevice blessed are all who take refuge in him | Closes Psalm 2 with the first occurrence of the book’s central refuge-motif (see refuge glossary entry) | আশ্রয় নেয়। Medium — see full discussion under Psalm 46/91 below. |
Psalm 3 — introduces “shield”
Psalm 3 contributes one new image-term: מָגֵן (magen, “shield”) — a defensive military image for God’s protection. Bengali: ঢাল (dhal), Low risk, reused later at Ps 5:12, 7:10, 18:2, 28:7, 33:20, 84:9, 91:4, 115:9-11, 119:114, 144:2.
Psalms 4–7 — no new load-bearing theological vocabulary
These early Davidic lament psalms reuse נֶפֶשׁ/soul (প্রাণ), אֹיֵב/enemies (শত্রু, established here, Low risk, reused throughout the Psalter without redefinition), and the liturgical marker סֶלָה. Selah (סֶלָה, selah) itself is introduced formally at Psalm 3:2 and recurs 71 times through the Psalter (e.g., Ps 4, 9, 24, 32, 39, 44, 46, 47, 48, 50, 54–62, 66–68, 75–77, 81–83, 85, 87–89, 140, 143): its meaning (likely a musical/liturgical pause-marker) is uncertain, so it is transliterated, not translated — সিলা (Selah), Low risk, treated exactly like আমেন/হাল্লিলূয়া as a preserved liturgical marker per baseline convention.
Psalm 8 — Humanity, Dominion, and Messianic Overtone
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| man / son of man אֱנוֹשׁ / בֶּן־אָדָם enosh / ben-adam ”mortal man / son of Adam” | humanity in its frailty and creaturely dependence man, mortal man, son of man | Establishes humanity’s God-given dignity and dominion, quoted messianically of Christ in Hebrews 2:6-8 | মানুষ / মানবপুত্র। Medium. Note the NT’s Hebrews 2 application to Christ as the true, perfected “Son of Man” — flag for cross-reference but do not force a messianic gloss onto every OT occurrence of בֶּן־אָדָם, most of which are simply generic “human being.” |
| glory and honor כָּבוֹד וְהָדָר kavod ve-hadar ”weightiness/glory and splendor” | royal, dignified majesty conferred by God glory and honor | Reuses baseline’s fixed মহিমা for כָּבוֹד; adds הָדָר | মহিমা ও প্রতাপ (mohima o prottap)। Low-Medium — মহিমা reused per baseline; প্রতাপ (“splendor/majesty”) is a new low-risk pairing term. |
Psalms 9–10 — Refuge and the Poor
Introduce עָנִי/ani (“poor, afflicted”) and אֶבְיוֹן/evyon (“needy”) — Bengali দরিদ্র (doridro) and দীন (din), Low risk. Also formally establish מִשְׂגָּב/misgav (“high fortress/stronghold”) and the refuge-verb pattern continued at Ps 11.
Psalm 11 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Reuses refuge (আশ্রয়) and righteous/wicked (ধার্মিক/দুষ্ট) vocabulary established at Ps 1–2, 9–10.
Psalm 12–14 — no new load-bearing vocabulary beyond one item
Psalm 14:1 (“the fool says in his heart, there is no God”) introduces נָבָל/naval, “fool” (morally, not intellectually, foolish — one who lives as if God does not exist). Bengali: মূর্খ (murkho), Medium risk — note this is moral/practical folly (rejecting God), not low intelligence, to avoid a condescending misreading.
Psalm 15 — Who May Dwell
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| blameless תָּמִים tamim ”complete, whole, unblemished” | integrity of life, not sinless perfection blameless, walks uprightly, of integrity | Describes covenant-consistent character required for temple fellowship, read in the NT’s light as pointing toward Christ’s perfect righteousness and the believer’s imputed righteousness (baseline imputed_righteousness) | সিদ্ধ / নিষ্কলঙ্ক (nishkolonko)। Medium-High. Avoid implying self-achieved sinless perfection; frame as integrity-of-life consistent with covenant loyalty, teaching-note-linked to Romans’ doctrine that ultimate blamelessness before God is received (আরোপিত ধার্মিকতা), not self-produced. |
Psalm 16 — Portion, Holy One, Hope Beyond Death
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| my portion חֶלְקִי chelqi (from חֵלֶק, cheleq, “share, allotment”) “my [inheritance-]share” | a tribal land-inheritance term, applied to God himself as the psalmist’s true inheritance instead of land my portion, my inheritance, my chosen portion | Declares that fellowship with God himself, not possessions, is the psalmist’s ultimate good — anticipates the baseline doctrine of adoption/inheritance (দত্তকপুত্রতা) | আমার অধিকার/অংশ (odhikar)। Medium. |
| Holy One חֲסִידֶךָ chasidekha (from חָסִיד, chasid, “one bound in covenant loyalty,” from the root of חֶסֶד/hesed) “your faithful/devoted one” | the covenant-loyal one, closely related to hesed your Holy One, your faithful one | Quoted in Acts 2:27 and 13:35 of Christ’s bodily resurrection without decay — a Critical messianic-resurrection prooftext | তোমার বিশ্বস্ত জন / তোমার পবিত্র জন। Critical. Must connect explicitly (translator note) to baseline’s resurrection_of_christ doctrine — Peter’s Pentecost sermon depends on this verse to prove bodily, historical পুনরুত্থান (never পুনর্জন্ম). |
| you will not abandon my soul to Sheol לֹא־תַעֲזֹב נַפְשִׁי לִשְׁאוֹל lo ta’azov nafshi lishe’ol ”you will not abandon my soul/self to Sheol” | Sheol = the realm/abode of the dead in Hebrew thought, not a specific cosmological underworld-tier to Sheol, to the grave, to the pit | Hope of bodily preservation from death’s corruption, applied by the apostles to Christ’s resurrection | (আমাকে) পাতালে পরিত্যাগ করবে না। High — NEW term, translator note required. পাতাল is also the specific name of the Hindu Puranic cosmological underworld (one of the fourteen lokas, home of the Nāgas/serpent-deities) in Bengali popular religious imagination. A note must clarify that biblical “Sheol/পাতাল” simply denotes the realm/state of the dead, not a cosmological tier with its own deities and geography. Reused at Ps 6:5; 30:3; 49:14-15; 86:13; 88:3; 89:48; 116:3; 139:8; 141:7. |
Psalm 17 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
“Apple of the eye” (אִישׁוֹן בַּת־עָיִן) is a vivid idiom for something precious and closely guarded; render idiomatically (চোখের মণির মতো, “like the pupil of the eye”) rather than literally. Low risk.
Psalm 18 — Rock, Fortress, Horn of Salvation
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| my rock צוּרִי / סַלְעִי tsuri / salʿi ”my rock/crag” | an immovable, elevated place of safety; a stock divine title my rock | God as an unshakeable place of safety, distinct from human strongholds | শৈল (shoilo). Medium — NEW term. No major competing religious association found; avoid পাষাণ, which idiomatically connotes “hard-hearted/unfeeling” in colloquial Bengali (পাষাণ হৃদয়) and would ironically undercut the comfort intended by the image. |
| my fortress/stronghold מְצוּדָתִי / מְצֻדָתִי metsudati ”my mountain-stronghold” | a natural, elevated defensive refuge my fortress, my stronghold | Reinforces the refuge-cluster of divine titles | Critical — culturally load-bearing. If rendered as দুর্গ (durgo, the ordinary Bengali word for “fortress”), note that দুর্গ is near-homophonous with দুর্গা (Durga), the preeminent goddess of Bengali Shakta Hinduism and namesake of Durga Puja, the region’s largest religious festival. Applying “দুর্গ” as a repeated divine epithet for God (“সদাপ্রভু আমার দুর্গ”) risks an unintended aural/associative overlap in oral reading and teaching contexts. Recommendation: reserve দুর্গ for occurrences where “fortress” as a distinct military image is doctrinally necessary, and prefer দৃঢ় আশ্রয়স্থল (“firm place of refuge”) or আশ্রয়দুর্গ (compounded, softening the standalone homophone) elsewhere. Flag every occurrence (Ps 18:2; 31:3; 71:3; 91:2; 144:2) for human theologian review. |
| horn of my salvation קֶרֶן יִשְׁעִי qeren yish’i ”the horn of my salvation” | horn = ancient Near Eastern image of strength/power (like an animal’s horn) horn of my salvation | God’s saving power personified as an animal’s horn of strength | আমার পরিত্রাণের শক্তি/শিং। Medium. পরিত্রাণ reused per baseline (Critical). Avoid শক্তি as the noun for “strength” here given baseline’s existing Shakta-goddess caution on শক্তি; prefer সামর্থ্য (per baseline’s power_of_god precedent) — “আমার পরিত্রাণের সামর্থ্যরূপ শিং.” |
Psalm 19 — Creation, Torah, and Reverent Fear
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| the heavens declare הַשָּׁמַיִם מְסַפְּרִים ha-shamayim mesaperim ”the heavens are telling/recounting” | creation as wordless testimony to God’s glory the heavens declare | General revelation, distinguished from special/verbal revelation (Torah, vv.7-11) | আকাশমণ্डল ঘোষণা করে। Low. |
| law of the LORD is perfect תּוֹרַת יְהוָה תְּמִימָה torat YHWH temimah ”the instruction of YHWH [is] complete/whole” | reuses תּוֹרָה (ব্যবস্থা) and adds תָּמִים (সিদ্ধ, from Ps 15) the law of the LORD is perfect | Torah as life-giving, soul-reviving instruction, not burdensome legalism | সদাপ্রভুর ব্যবস্থা সিদ্ধ। High — reuse ব্যবস্থা with same nuance-note as Ps 1; সদাপ্রভু per yhwh_lord. |
Psalm 20–21 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Continue anointed-king (অভিষিক্ত জন) and trust (নির্ভর করা) vocabulary already established; v.7’s “some trust in chariots and horses” introduces a contrast-term রথ (rath, “chariot”) — Low risk, purely concrete/military, no doctrinal collision.
Psalm 22 — Messianic Suffering
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| My God, my God, why have you forsaken me אֵלִי אֵלִי לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי Eli Eli lamah azavtani ”My God, my God, why have you abandoned me” | a cry of covenant-relational abandonment, quoted verbatim by Christ on the cross (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34) why have you forsaken me | Prophetic anticipation of the Messiah’s cry of dereliction at the atonement — a Critical link to the doctrine of Messianic Prophecy and, by extension, the atonement | আমার ঈশ্বর, আমার ঈশ্বর, তুমি কেন আমাকে পরিত্যাগ করলে? Critical. Must be rendered identically wherever quoted in Gospel harmonization materials; do not soften “forsaken/পরিত্যাগ” into a milder “distant from” — the forensic and relational weight of abandonment is the doctrinal point. |
| they pierced / they have surrounded (my hands and feet) (MT כָּארוּ, “like a lion” — LXX/most modern versions read/emend to “pierced”) ka’aru / karu disputed textual reading; traditional Christian and most modern critical texts read “they have pierced my hands and feet” | crucifixion imagery centuries before crucifixion was a known Roman practice they have pierced my hands and feet | A striking textual/prophetic point requiring careful footnoting rather than glossary-term treatment | Handle as an exegetical/footnote issue, not a glossary term: flag for human theologian review with a note on the textual variant, per baseline’s messianic-prophecy review routing. |
| they divide my garments / cast lots יְחַלְּקוּ בְגָדַי … יַפִּילוּ גּוֹרָל yechalequ begadai … yapilu goral ”they divide my garments… they cast a lot” | dividing spoils and casting lots for garments they divide my garments, cast lots | Quoted at the crucifixion (Matthew 27:35; John 19:24) | পোশাক ভাগ করে… গুটিকাপাত করে। High. Flag for theologian review as a direct messianic-fulfillment citation. |
Psalm 23 — see Part A above (Core Passage, full verse-by-verse treatment).
Psalm 24 — King of Glory, Who May Ascend
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| King of glory מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד melekh ha-kavod ”king of the glory” | God’s kingship expressed in radiant, weighty honor King of glory | Combines the King and Glory doctrines (both baseline-established: রাজা and মহিমা) in a single liturgical procession-hymn | মহিমার রাজা। Medium — combines two already-established terms; no new risk beyond their individual notes. |
| clean hands and a pure heart נְקִי כַפַּיִם וּבַר־לֵבָב neqi khapayim u-var-levav ”clean of palms and pure of heart” | moral integrity of both action (hands) and inner disposition (heart) clean hands and a pure heart | Entry requirement into God’s presence — a standard later fulfilled, not abolished, by grace (cf. Ps 51’s plea for a pure heart, below) | নির্দোষ হাত ও শুদ্ধ হৃদয়। Medium. Avoid শুচি (baseline-rejected ritual-purity term for “holy”); শুদ্ধ (“pure/clean,” morally focused) is acceptable here as it is not standing in for পবিত্র (holy) itself. |
Psalm 25 — Hesed and Covenant Forgiveness
Reinforces hesed (অবিচল দয়া, established at Ps 23:6) paired explicitly with אֱמֶת/emet (“truth/faithfulness”) — Bengali সত্য (shotyo) in this pairing meaning God’s reliable faithfulness, not merely factual accuracy. Also introduces סָלַח/salach (“forgive”) — see full treatment at Psalm 51.
Psalm 26 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Reuses תָּמִים/blameless (Ps 15) and ধার্মিক/দুষ্ট contrast (Ps 1).
Psalm 27 — Light and Salvation
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| the LORD is my light יְהוָה אוֹרִי YHWH ori ”YHWH [is] my light” | God as source of guidance, revelation, and life (contrasted with darkness/death) the LORD is my light | Pairs with পরিত্রাণ (salvation, baseline Critical term) to declare total confidence in God amid threat | সদাপ্রভু আমার আলো। Low-Medium. |
Psalm 28–29 — Voice of the LORD, Divine Kingship over Creation
Psalm 29 introduces קוֹל יְהוָה/qol YHWH, “the voice of the LORD” (সদাপ্রভুর রব/স্বর) as a storm-theophany refrain — Low-Medium risk, purely descriptive of God’s sovereign power over creation; reinforces সামর্থ্য/power-of-God caution (never শক্তি).
Psalm 30 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
“Joy comes in the morning” reuses established joy vocabulary (see Ps 16, 32 cluster below); introduces פ Sheol reference consistent with Ps 16 note (পাতাল).
Psalm 31 — Into Your Hand I Commit My Spirit
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| into your hand I commit my spirit בְּיָדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי be-yadekha afqid ruchi ”into your hand I entrust/deposit my spirit” | an act of complete self-entrustment to God’s care, especially at the point of death into your hands I commit my spirit | Quoted by Christ from the cross (Luke 23:46) — a Critical messianic-passion citation | তোমার হাতে আমার আত্মা সমর্পণ করি। Critical. আত্মা here renders רוּחַ/ruach (“spirit/breath”), distinct from পবিত্র আত্মা (Holy Spirit, baseline Critical term); context makes the referent (the psalmist’s own life-breath, not the divine Person) clear, but flag for consistent, careful capitalization/phrasing in teaching materials to avoid confusion. |
Psalm 32 — Confession Companion to Psalm 51
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven אֶשְׁרֵי נְשׂוּי־פֶּשַׁע ashrei nesui-pesha ”happy/blessed is the one whose rebellion is lifted/carried away” | נָשָׂא/nasa, “to lift, bear, carry away” — forgiveness as God bearing away guilt blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven | The positive counterpart to Psalm 51’s confession — the fruit of forgiveness is blessing, not merely relief | ধন্য সে, যার অধর্ম ক্ষমা হয়েছে — must avoid অধর্ম (baseline-forbidden religion/dharma-adjacent term); render ধন্য সে, যার বিদ্রোহ/অপরাধ ক্ষমা হয়েছে। High, see full sin-vocabulary discussion at Psalm 51 below. |
| I acknowledged my sin חֲטָאתִי אוֹדִיעֲךָ chattati odiakha ”my sin/failure I made known to you” | חֵטְא/chet (also spelled חַטָּאָה, chatta’ah) — “missing the mark,” the most general OT word for sin, corresponding closely to NT ἁμαρτία I acknowledged my sin | Reuses baseline’s fixed পাপ for חֵטְא/chet, confirming direct continuity between OT chattá’áh and NT hamartia | পাপ। High — reuse baseline exactly; no new risk. |
Psalm 33 — Hesed Reaffirmed, New Song
Reuses hesed (অবিচল দয়া) explicitly paired with “new song” (שִׁיר חָדָשׁ, shir chadash — নতুন গীত), Low risk.
Psalm 34 — Taste and See, Fear of the LORD
“Taste and see that the LORD is good” (טַעֲמוּ וּרְאוּ) — আস্বাদ করে দেখো। Low risk, vivid experiential-knowledge idiom, no competing association. “Fear of the LORD” (יִרְאַת יְהוָה) — সদাপ্রভুর ভয়/সদাপ্রভুর প্রতি ভীতি-শ্রদ্ধা — Medium risk: must convey reverent awe, not terror or servile fear; recommend pairing note “সম্ভ্রমপূর্ণ ভয়” (reverential fear/awe).
Psalms 35 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Reuses enemy/lament vocabulary from Ps 3–7, 22.
Psalm 36 — Hesed to the Heavens, Fountain of Life
“Your hesed, O LORD, extends to the heavens” — reinforces অবিচল দয়া at cosmic scale. “Fountain of life” (מְקוֹר חַיִּים) — জীবনের উৎস, Low risk.
Psalm 37 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Reuses righteous/wicked contrast (Ps 1) at length; “the meek shall inherit the earth” introduces עָנָו/anav (“meek/humble”) — নম্র (nomro), Low-Medium risk, quoted by Christ in Matthew 5:5.
Psalm 38–39 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Continue lament and sin-confession vocabulary already established (পাপ, অপরাধ — see Ps 51).
Psalm 40 — Messianic Obedience Over Sacrifice
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| sacrifice and offering you have not desired… I delight to do your will זֶבַח וּמִנְחָה לֹא־חָפַצְתָּ … לַעֲשׂוֹת־רְצוֹנְךָ חָפַצְתִּי zevach u-minchah lo chafatsta … la’asot retsonekha chafatsti ”sacrifice and offering you have not desired/delighted in… to do your will I have delighted” | contrasts ritual sacrifice (זֶבַח/minchah, established sacrificial-system vocabulary) with wholehearted obedience sacrifice and offering you did not desire; I delight to do your will | Quoted in Hebrews 10:5-7 of Christ’s incarnate obedience fulfilling and superseding the sacrificial system — a Critical messianic/incarnation-adjacent citation | বলিদান ও নৈবেদ্য তুমি চাও নাই… তোমার ইচ্ছা পালন করতে আমি আনন্দিত। High. Note নৈবেদ্য (“offering”) is also the standard Bengali Hindu term for a ritual food-offering placed before a deity (temple নৈবেদ্য); acceptable here since the text is explicitly describing the historic Israelite sacrificial system by contrast, but flag for teaching context so readers do not read a puja-offering association into the point being made (which is that God prefers obedience to ritual, not that offerings are illegitimate). |
Psalm 41 — Betrayal by a Close Friend
“Even my close friend… has lifted his heel against me” — a betrayal-motif quoted by Christ of Judas (John 13:18). Also contains the first ordinary benediction-use of בָּרוּךְ/barukh (“Blessed be the LORD,” distinct from Ps 1’s אֶשְׁרֵי/ashrei-declaration): Bengali ধন্য হোন সদাপ্রভু (doxological “blessed be,” Low-Medium risk, distinct usage-note from Ps 1’s ধন্য).
Psalms 42–43 — Thirst for God
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| as a deer pants for flowing streams, so my soul pants for you כְּאַיָּל תַּעֲרֹג עַל־אֲפִיקֵי־מָיִם כֵּן נַפְשִׁי תַעֲרֹג אֵלֶיךָ ke-ayal ta’arog… ken nafshi ta’arog ”as a deer longs/pants… so my soul longs” | intense physical-emotional longing imagery as the deer pants for water, so my soul longs for you | The paradigmatic Old Testament text for the assigned doctrine “Lament and Honest Prayer” combined with deep spiritual longing | যেমন হরিণ জলপ্রবাহের জন্য হাঁপায়, তেমনি আমার প্রাণ তোমার জন্য হাঁপায়। Medium. প্রাণ reused per Ps 23:3 note. |
Psalm 44 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Communal lament reusing established vocabulary (hesed, salvation, enemies).
Psalm 45 — Royal Wedding Psalm, Messianic Divine King
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| your throne, O God, is forever and ever כִּסְאֲךָ אֱלֹהִים עוֹלָם וָעֶד kis’akha Elohim olam va’ed ”your throne, O God, [is] forever and ever” | addresses the Davidic king directly as “Elohim” — an extraordinary ascription taken up in Hebrews 1:8 as a direct address to the divine Son your throne, O God, is forever | Directly cited as NT proof of Christ’s deity — Critical link to baseline’s deity_of_christ doctrine | তোমার সিংহাসন, হে ঈশ্বর, অনন্তকালস্থায়ী। Critical. ঈশ্বর reused per baseline exactly (never ভগবান/আল্লাহ). Must not be softened to “godlike” or “divine one” — the address is direct and must remain so in translation, consistent with Hebrews’ use of the text. |
Psalm 46 — Refuge and Strength; “Be Still”
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| God is our refuge and strength אֱלֹהִים לָנוּ מַחְסֶה וָעֹז Elohim lanu machaseh va-oz ”God [is] for us a refuge and strength” | מַחְסֶה/machaseh, “place of shelter/refuge” (from the same root as חָסָה, Ps 2:12) — the foundational noun for the assigned doctrine “Character of God … as Refuge” God is our refuge and strength | The classic refuge-text of the Psalter, doctrinally central to this curriculum | আশ্রয় (ashroy). High — foundational glossary entry. No single competing deity-name collision exists as with দুর্গ, but note the conceptual proximity to bhakti “śaraṇāgati” (surrender-to-a-deity theology in Vaishnavism, e.g. Bhagavad Gita 18:66’s “sharanam vraja”). Translator note recommended: biblical refuge is unilateral divine protection flowing from covenant faithfulness (hesed), not a meritorious devotional act of self-surrender that earns the deity’s favor. For “strength,” reuse baseline’s established সামর্থ্য (never শক্তি) rather than introducing a new word — “আশ্রয় ও সামর্থ্য.” |
| be still הַרְפּוּ harpu (from רָפָה, raphah, “to slacken, let go, cease”) “let go, cease striving” | ceasing human effort/striving in the face of God’s sovereign action be still, cease striving | An invitation to trust God’s sovereign action rather than anxious self-effort — connects to baseline’s providence doctrine | ক্ষান্ত হও / স্থির হও। Low-Medium. |
Psalm 47 — God is King
Reinforces রাজা/kingship vocabulary (Ps 2) with שָׁמַע/“shout” (a joyful acclamation cry) — জয়ধ্বনি দাও, Low-Medium risk; note জয়ধ্বনি (“victory-shout”) is a general Bengali term, not specifically Hindu-ritual, safe to use.
Psalm 48 — Zion, City of God
Establishes Zion (צִיּוֹן) as proper noun সিয়োন, Medium risk (theological/geographic significance as God’s chosen dwelling), reused extensively (Ps 2, 9, 48, 50, 51, 65, 69, 74, 76, 78, 84, 87, 97, 99, 102, 110, 125-129, 132-134, 137, 146-149).
Psalm 49 — Ransom for Life
Introduces פִּדְיוֹן/pidyon (“ransom price”) related to the “redeem” word-family — see full treatment at Psalm 130/107 below (উদ্ধার).
Psalm 50 — Sacrifice of Thanksgiving
“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving” reuses established ধন্যবাদ (baseline Low-risk term) paired with the sacrificial-offering vocabulary of Ps 40; no new Critical/High terms.
Psalm 51 — Confession and Forgiveness (Full Doctrinal Treatment)
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| have mercy on me / according to your hesed חָנֵּנִי … כְּחַסְדֶּךָ choneni … ke-chasdekha ”be gracious to me… according to your hesed” | חָנַן/chanan, “to show favor/grace,” distinct root from hesed but overlapping in effect have mercy on me, be gracious to me | The plea is grounded explicitly in God’s covenant hesed, not the psalmist’s merit — links directly to the assigned Hesed doctrine and to baseline’s grace doctrine | আমার প্রতি অনুগ্রহ কর… তোমার অবিচল দয়া অনুসারে। Critical. অনুগ্রহ reused exactly per baseline for chanan/grace-sense; অবিচল দয়া per the Ps 23:6 hesed entry. The two must remain distinguishable even while both appear in the same verse. |
| my transgressions פְּשָׁעָי pesha’ai (from פֶּשַׁע, pesha) “my rebellions” | willful rebellion/breach of relationship — the strongest of the three OT sin-words my transgressions, my rebellious acts | Distinguishes willful rebellion from mere failure (chet) or twisted guilt (avon) | লঙ্ঘন / বিদ্রোহ (longhon/bidroho). High — NEW term, distinct from পাপ. Do not collapse into পাপ (reserved for חֵטְא/chet); do not use অধর্ম (baseline-adjacent ধর্ম-root forbidden by baseline logic). বিদ্রোহ (“rebellion”) best captures the willful, relational-breach sense. |
| my iniquity עֲוֹנִי avoni (from עָוֹן, avon) “my guilt/crookedness” | the twisted guilt/liability accrued from wrongdoing, more than the act itself my iniquity, my guilt | The guilt-weight dimension of sin, distinct from both the act (pesha) and simple failure (chet) | অপরাধ (oporadh). High — NEW term. Distinct third term in the Psalm 51 sin-vocabulary triad: পাপ (chet/failure) — অপরাধ (avon/guilt) — বিদ্রোহ (pesha/rebellion). Preserving three distinct Bengali terms for these three Hebrew words is doctrinally important for this Psalm’s confession structure and should be fixed in the glossary. |
| wash me / cleanse me כַּבְּסֵנִי … טַהֲרֵנִי kabbeseni … taharani ”launder me… make me [ritually] clean” | טָהֵר/taher, the standard OT ritual-purity verb, here applied metaphorically to moral/spiritual cleansing (note the hyssop reference in v.7, an actual OT ritual-cleansing implement) wash me, cleanse me, purify me | The Psalm deliberately borrows OT ritual-purification language for moral cleansing from sin — an intentional metaphor, not incidental | ধুয়ে দাও / শুদ্ধ কর। High. Translator note required: the Hebrew itself intentionally uses ritual-purity vocabulary (hyssop, washing) as a metaphor for moral cleansing; this is not a case of avoiding ritual-purity language altogether (as baseline does for “holy”/পবিত্র vs. শুচি) but of explaining that the OT’s own sacrificial-ritual system is being used figuratively here, fulfilled ultimately in Christ’s atoning cleansing (cf. 1 John 1:9). Avoid শুচি (retained as baseline-rejected for “holy”) to prevent conflating this passage’s moral point with Hindu ritual purity (shuddhi) practice; শুদ্ধ (a related but distinct, more general “clean/pure” word) is the safer choice. |
| create in me a clean heart לֵב טָהוֹר בְּרָא־לִי lev tahor bera-li ”a pure heart, create for me” | בָּרָא/bara — the same verb used for God’s original creation of the cosmos (Genesis 1:1) create in me a clean heart | Deliberately frames moral renewal as an act of new creation, not self-improvement | আমার মধ্যে শুদ্ধ হৃদয় সৃষ্টি কর। High. সৃষ্টি করা (create) must be the verb used (not a weaker “make/build”) to preserve the Genesis-creation echo. |
| do not take your Holy Spirit from me רוּחַ קָדְשְׁךָ אַל־תִּקַּח מִמֶּנִּי ruach qodshekha al-tiqqach mimenni ”your spirit of holiness, do not take from me” | one of the OT’s few explicit “Holy Spirit” phrases do not take your Holy Spirit from me | Direct continuity with the baseline’s Critical holy_spirit doctrine | তোমার পবিত্র আত্মা আমার কাছ থেকে নিয়ে নিও না। Critical. পবিত্র আত্মা reused exactly per baseline; never ব্রহ্ম/পরমাত্মা. |
| a broken and contrite heart לֵב־נִשְׁבָּר וְנִדְכֶּה lev-nishbar ve-nidkeh ”a heart broken and crushed” | brokenness before God as the true acceptable sacrifice a broken and contrite heart | Closes the psalm’s confession theology: not ritual but a rightly humbled heart is what God desires | ভগ্ন ও চূর্ণ হৃদয় / বিনম্র হৃদয়। Medium-High. |
Psalm 52–61 — no new load-bearing vocabulary beyond one recurring cluster
These psalms (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61) continue lament, refuge, enemy, and hesed vocabulary already fully established at Ps 1–51. Psalm 62 below introduces a notable intensifier worth separate treatment.
Psalm 62 — God Alone
“On God alone [אַךְ אֶל־אֱלֹהִים, akh el-Elohim] my soul waits… he alone is my rock and my salvation” — reinforces শৈল (rock, Ps 18) and পরিত্রাণ (baseline) with the exclusivity-intensifier אַךְ/akh (“only, alone”) — কেবল/মাত্র (Low risk), doctrinally significant for exclusivity of trust (echoes baseline’s Lordship-exclusivity emphasis).
Psalm 63 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Reuses soul-thirst imagery from Ps 42-43 (“my soul thirsts for you… in a dry and weary land”).
Psalm 64 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Psalm 65 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Harvest/providence praise reusing established মঙ্গল/goodness and thanksgiving vocabulary.
Psalm 66–68 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Continue praise/hallelujah-cluster vocabulary; see the dedicated Praise treatment at Ps 100, 111-118, 146-150 below for the full praise-verb family.
Psalm 69 — Messianic Suffering Continued
“Zeal for your house has consumed me” and “they gave me vinegar to drink” — both quoted of Christ’s passion (John 2:17; Matthew 27:34,48). Handle as exegetical/footnote flags for theologian review, consistent with Ps 22’s treatment; no new glossary terms beyond established sin/lament vocabulary.
Psalm 70–71 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Continue refuge/rock/fortress vocabulary already flagged (Ps 18, 46).
Psalm 72 — Messianic Kingdom, Universal Dominion
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| may he have dominion from sea to sea וְיֵרְדְּ מִיָּם עַד־יָם ve-yered mi-yam ad-yam ”and let him have dominion from sea to sea” | universal, not merely national, royal dominion dominion from sea to sea | Messianic-kingdom expansion beyond Israel’s borders — connects to baseline’s kingdom_mission and mission_to_nations doctrines | সমুদ্র থেকে সমুদ্র পর্যন্ত রাজত্ব করবেন। High. রাজত্ব করা (to reign) reuses established king-vocabulary (Ps 2); flag alongside baseline’s kingdom_of_god (ঈশ্বরের রাজ্য) entry — this is the same reign, expressed through the Davidic-messianic office. |
| all nations shall be blessed in him וְיִתְבָּרְכוּ בוֹ כֹּל־גּוֹיִם ve-yitbarkhu vo kol-goyim ”and all nations shall be blessed in him” | universal blessing flowing through the messianic king, echoing the Abrahamic covenant promise all nations shall call him blessed | Direct thematic link to baseline’s unity_of_jews_and_gentiles and universal_scope_of_gospel doctrines | সমস্ত জাতি তাঁতে ধন্য হবে। High. |
Psalm 73 — Wisdom Psalm on the Prosperity of the Wicked
No new terms beyond ধার্মিক/দুষ্ট already established (Ps 1); notable phrase “God is the strength of my heart” reuses সামর্থ্য-family vocabulary, Low risk.
Psalm 74–77 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Communal laments reusing established covenant/hesed/enemy vocabulary.
Psalm 78 — Covenant History and Hesed
A long historical recital psalm; introduces no new terms beyond reinforcing হেসেদ/নিয়ম (covenant, reused exactly per baseline) across Israel’s history. Notable for connecting Hesed doctrine to Israel’s whole covenant narrative, useful for the curriculum’s “Covenant Faithfulness” unit.
Psalm 79–83 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Continue established communal-lament and covenant vocabulary.
Psalm 84 — Longing for God’s Courts
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| how lovely is your dwelling place מַה־יְּדִידוֹת מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֶיךָ mah-yedidot mishkenotekha ”how beloved/lovely are your dwelling-places” | affectionate longing for God’s sanctuary presence how lovely is your dwelling place | Reinforces the “dwell in the house of the LORD forever” theme of Psalm 23:6 with fresh vocabulary | তোমার আবাসস্থল কত প্রিয়। Low-Medium. |
| even the sparrow finds a home גַּם־צִפּוֹר מָצְאָה בַיִת gam-tsippor matseah bayit ”even the bird has found a house” | small creatures finding secure nesting near God’s altar — an image of accessible refuge for the humble even the sparrow finds a home | Extends the refuge-doctrine to the smallest, most vulnerable creatures | চড়ুই পাখিও একটি বাসা খুঁজে পায়। Low. |
Psalm 85 — Hesed and Truth Meet, Righteousness and Peace Kiss
“Hesed and truth (emet) have met together; righteousness (tsedeq) and peace (shalom) have kissed each other” — combines four already-established terms (অবিচল দয়া, সত্য, ধার্মিকতা, শান্তি — শান্তি reused exactly per baseline’s peace entry) in a single doctrinally rich verse. No new terms; flag for High-risk composite review given density of Critical/High vocabulary in one line.
Psalm 86 — Merciful and Gracious, Abounding in Hesed
“You, O LORD, are merciful and gracious [רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן, rachum ve-chanun], abounding in hesed and truth.” Introduces רַחוּם/rachum (“compassionate”) — করুণাময় (korunamoy), Medium risk: করুণা is also a central Buddhist/Hindu devotional-compassion concept (karuna is one of the Buddhist Four Immeasurables and a bhakti attribute of deities like Avalokiteshvara/Chenrezig regionally and various Hindu deities); acceptable as a general compassion-term but pair consistently with অবিচল দয়া (hesed) so the covenant-bound dimension is not lost to a generalized-compassion reading.
Psalm 87–88 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Psalm 88 (the Psalter’s darkest lament) reuses established পাতাল/Sheol vocabulary (Ps 16); doctrinally important as the paradigm text for “Lament and Honest Prayer” precisely because it ends without resolution — flag as a key teaching text for that doctrine even though it introduces no new terms.
Psalm 89 — Davidic Covenant and Hesed Forever
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| I will sing of the hesed of the LORD forever חַסְדֵי יְהוָה עוֹלָם אָשִׁירָה chasdei YHWH olam ashirah ”the hesed-acts of YHWH forever I will sing” | plural construct of hesed, “acts of covenant faithfulness” I will sing of the LORD’s steadfast love forever | Frames the entire Davidic covenant (baseline davidic_covenant doctrine) as an outworking of hesed | সদাপ্রভুর অবিচল দয়ার কথা আমি চিরকাল গান করব। Critical. Direct thematic union of two Critical baseline/new terms: সদাপ্রভু (yhwh_lord) and অবিচল দয়া (hesed). |
Psalm 90 — Moses’ Prayer, Dwelling Place, Numbering Days
“Lord, you have been our dwelling place [מָעוֹן, ma’on] in all generations” — reinforces refuge/dwelling vocabulary. “Teach us to number our days” introduces no new Critical/High term; Low-Medium risk wisdom vocabulary.
Psalm 91 — Refuge Under the Almighty’s Wings
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| he who dwells in the shelter of the Most High יֹשֵׁב בְּסֵתֶר עֶלְיוֹן yoshev be-seter elyon ”the one dwelling in the secret-place of the Most High” | seter, “hiding place, secret covering” — an intimate refuge image he who dwells in the shelter of the Most High | The most sustained single-psalm refuge-meditation in the Psalter, central to the “Character of God … as Refuge” doctrine | পরাৎপরের গোপন আশ্রয়ে যে বাস করে। High. পরাৎপর (Elyon, “Most High”) — established Bengali Bible divine title, Medium-High risk on its own (must retain personal, relational force, not a bare philosophical “supreme being” abstraction); আশ্রয় reused per Ps 46. |
| Almighty שַׁדַּי Shaddai traditionally “Almighty,” etymology debated (possibly “mountain one” or “sufficient one”) | a divine title emphasizing overwhelming power/sufficiency the Almighty, El Shaddai | Reinforces total divine sufficiency, paired with refuge imagery | সর্বশক্তিমান (sarboshaktiman). Medium — established exception noted. This compound contains শক্তি (the root baseline flags as Critical-risk for “power of God” due to Shakta-goddess association), yet সর্বশক্তিমান is the deeply entrenched, creed-level Bengali Christian term for “Almighty” (as in the Apostles’ Creed’s “ঈশ্বর পিতা সর্বশক্তিমান”). Retain it as an established exception, distinct from baseline’s power_of_god entry (which governs a different Greek/Hebrew phrase, δύναμις θεοῦ/God’s saving power in Romans 1:16, not this fixed divine title). Do not use plain শক্তি alone as a divine title anywhere else. |
| he will cover you with his wings בְאֶבְרָתוֹ יָסֶךְ לָךְ be-evrato yasekh lakh ”with his pinion he will cover you” | maternal-bird protective imagery under his wings you will find refuge | Tender, intimate refuge imagery reinforcing the doctrine | তাঁর পক্ষের নিচে তোমাকে ঢেকে রাখবেন। Low-Medium. |
Psalm 92–94 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Continue righteous/wicked and divine-kingship vocabulary.
Psalm 95 — The LORD Reigns; Come, Let Us Worship
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| let us bow down / worship נִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה nishtachaveh (from הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה, hishtachavah, “to bow down, prostrate oneself”) “let us prostrate ourselves” | physical act of bowing/prostration as an act of homage/worship let us worship, let us bow down | Foundational text for the “Praise and Worship” doctrine, calling God’s people to physical, exclusive homage | আরাধনা করি (aradhona kori). High. আরাধনা is the established Bengali Christian term for “worship” (used routinely in church contexts, e.g. “আরাধনা সভা,” worship service), but it is simultaneously the standard Bengali Hindu term for temple/deity worship (পূজা-আরাধনা, puja-aradhana). Retain আরাধনা as the fixed Christian-register term (parallel to baseline’s retention of ঈশ্বর despite its Vedantic root) but require a consistent doctrinal framing note: this worship is directed exclusively to the one covenant God, সদাপ্রভু, never one deity among many, as would be assumed in a general Hindu aradhana context. |
| our Maker עֹשֵׂנוּ osenu ”our maker” | God as Creator, specifically of his covenant people our Maker | Grounds worship in the Creator-creature relationship | আমাদের সৃষ্টিকর্তা। Low. Reuse baseline’s rejection-context note (সৃষ্টিকর্তা is acceptable here as “Maker/Creator,” unlike ব্রহ্মা/Brahma which baseline forbids for “Father”). |
Psalm 96–99 — no new load-bearing vocabulary beyond one shared refrain
The “the LORD reigns” (יְהוָה מָלָךְ) refrain repeats across Ps 96–99, reusing established কingship (রাজত্ব করেন) and সদাপ্রভু vocabulary; no new terms.
Psalm 100 — Shepherd/Sheep of His Pasture, Thanksgiving
“Know that the LORD, he is God… we are his people, the sheep of his pasture [צֹאן מַרְעִיתוֹ].” Reinforces the Shepherd doctrine’s flock-imagery established at Ps 23 (মেষপাল, “flock/sheep,” Low risk) and connects it explicitly to covenant identity (“his people,” ঈশ্বরের প্রজা, reused from baseline’s church_as_gods_people doctrine language).
Psalm 101–102 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Psalm 103 — Bless the LORD, O My Soul
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| who forgives all your iniquity הַסֹּלֵחַ לְכָל־עֲוֹנֵכִי ha-soleach le-khol avoneki ”the one forgiving all your iniquity” | reuses סָלַח/salach (forgive, Ps 25/51) and עָוֹן/avon (iniquity, অপরাধ, Ps 51) who forgives all your sins | Direct thematic continuation of Psalm 51’s confession-and-forgiveness doctrine | সকল অপরাধ ক্ষমা করেন। High — reuse established terms, no new entry needed. |
| as a father shows compassion to his children כְּרַחֵם אָב עַל־בָּנִים ke-rachem av al-banim ”as a father has compassion on sons” | reuses পিতা (Father, baseline Critical term) in simile form as a father pities his children | Grounds God’s hesed-compassion in the Father-relationship, anticipating baseline’s adoption doctrine | পিতা যেমন সন্তানদের প্রতি করুণা করেন। Critical — পিতা reused exactly per baseline (never ব্রহ্মা). |
Psalm 104 — Creation and Providence
Extended creation-praise psalm; no new Critical/High terms beyond established মহিমা (glory), সামর্থ্য (power/God’s provision), and ঈশ্বরের পরিচালনা (providence, reused from baseline exactly).
Psalm 105–106 — Covenant History and Hesed
Historical recital psalms reinforcing নিয়ম (covenant) and অবিচল দয়া (hesed) across Israel’s national history; no new terms, but doctrinally important teaching texts for the Hesed unit.
Psalm 107 — “His Hesed Endures Forever” Refrain; Redeemed
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| let them thank the LORD for his hesed יוֹדוּ לַיהוָה חַסְדּוֹ yodu la-YHWH chasdo ”let them give thanks to YHWH for his hesed” | refrain repeated 4 times in this psalm structuring its four rescue-scenarios for his steadfast love / his mercy endures forever | Structural refrain of the whole psalm, reinforcing hesed as the reason for thanksgiving across every kind of distress | সদাপ্রভুর অবিচল দয়ার জন্য ধন্যবাদ দিক। Critical — reuse established terms. |
| the redeemed of the LORD גְּאוּלֵי יְהוָה ge’ulei YHWH (from גָּאַל, ga’al, “to redeem, act as kinsman-redeemer”) “the redeemed-ones of YHWH” | ga’al = the specific legal-family concept of a near relative buying back a person or property from bondage/debt (cf. the book of Ruth) the redeemed of the LORD | Distinct from generic “rescue”; carries the specific kinsman-redeemer covenant-family concept, later applied typologically to Christ | উদ্ধারকৃত জন / সদাপ্রভুর দ্বারা উদ্ধারকৃত. High — NEW term, redeemer family. Recommend উদ্ধার করা (“to rescue/deliver,” rather than মুক্তি) as the verb for গָּאַל/ga’al and פָּדָה/padah (“ransom,” Ps 49) throughout the Psalter, consistent with baseline’s Critical rejection of মুক্তি for “salvation” (Hindu liberation-from-rebirth association). উদ্ধারকর্তা (“Redeemer/Rescuer”) is the recommended noun-title, e.g. for Ps 19:14’s “my Redeemer” (גֹּאֲלִי, go’ali) — “আমার উদ্ধারকর্তা.” |
Psalm 108–109 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Psalm 110 — Kingship and the Messianic King (Priest-King)
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| The LORD says to my Lord נְאֻם יְהוָה לַאדֹנִי ne’um YHWH la-adoni ”the declaration of YHWH to my lord (adoni)“ | two distinct Hebrew words for “LORD” in one clause: יְהוָה (the covenant name) and אֲדֹנִי (a human/royal address term, “my lord/master”) The LORD said to my Lord | The verse Christ himself uses to prove his own deity and superiority to David (Matthew 22:41-45; Mark 12:35-37) — an absolutely load-bearing text for the “Kingship and the Messianic King” doctrine | সদাপ্রভু আমার প্রভুকে বলেন. Critical — the single most doctrinally load-bearing rendering decision in this glossary. The translation must preserve the two-referent distinction: সদাপ্রভু (YHWH, God the Father) speaking to আমার প্রভু (“my Lord/master,” adoni — David’s promised royal descendant, understood by Jesus and the apostles as the divine Messiah, cf. baseline’s lordship_of_christ). Collapsing both into a single identical word, or reversing which one gets সদাপ্রভু, destroys the very argument the verse is making (that David’s future son is also David’s superior Lord). Flag every occurrence for mandatory human theologian review. |
| sit at my right hand שֵׁב לִימִינִי shev li-ymini ”sit at my right hand” | the position of highest honor, co-regency sit at my right hand | Quoted throughout the NT of Christ’s exaltation (e.g. Acts 2:34-35; Hebrews 1:13) | আমার দক্ষিণে বসো। High. |
| a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek כֹּהֵן לְעוֹלָם עַל־דִּבְרָתִי מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק kohen le-olam al-divrati Malki-Tsedeq ”a priest forever, according to my word/order, Melchizedek” | combines כֹּהֵן/kohen (“priest,” an office normally distinct from king in Israel) with the ancient priest-king figure of Genesis 14 a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek | Foundational OT text for the uniquely combined priest-king office fulfilled in Christ (Hebrews 5-7) — Critical for both Kingship and (implicitly) atonement doctrine | যাজক (jajok, “priest”) … মল্কীষেদক (Malkishedek, proper name, established Bengali Bible transliteration). Critical. যাজক is the established Bengali Bible term for priestly office (both Levitical and this unique Melchizedekian order); do not substitute পুরোহিত, the ordinary Bengali Hindu term for a Brahmin ritual priest, which would import a caste-priesthood association absent from the biblical concept. |
Psalm 111–113 — Hallelujah Psalms
Introduce হাল্লিলূয়া formally as a psalm-opening/closing liturgical acclamation — reused exactly per baseline’s fixed transliteration (Low risk). No new Critical/High terms; reinforce established হেসেদ, ধার্মিকতা vocabulary.
Psalm 114 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Exodus-recital psalm reusing established covenant-history vocabulary.
Psalm 115 — Idols vs. the Living God
Introduces a direct idol-polemic (עֲצַבִּים/atsabim, “idols”) — Bengali প্রতিমা (protima), High-Medium risk: প্রতিমা is also the everyday Bengali word for a Hindu deity-image (e.g., Durga Puja প্রতিমা, the ritually crafted clay images of the goddess). The polemic force of the Psalm (idols are lifeless, made by human hands) is doctrinally sharpened, not softened, by this exact overlap — flag as intentional, load-bearing cultural confrontation requiring native-speaker and theologian sensitivity in teaching framing, not avoidance of the term.
Psalm 116–117 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Continue hesed/thanksgiving/redeemed vocabulary already established.
Psalm 118 — The Stone the Builders Rejected; Save Now
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| the stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים הָיְתָה לְרֹאשׁ פִּנָּה even ma’asu ha-bonim hayetah le-rosh pinnah ”the stone the builders rejected has become the head of the corner” | architectural rejection-then-exaltation image the stone the builders rejected | Applied directly by Christ and the apostles to his own rejection and resurrection-vindication (Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7) — Critical messianic-prophecy citation | যে পাথর গাঁথকরা অগ্রাহ্য করেছিল, তা হয়ে উঠল কোণের প্রধান পাথর। Critical. Flag for mandatory theologian review as a direct NT-quoted messianic text. |
| save now! / hosanna הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא hoshi’ah na ”save, please!” — the Hebrew phrase transliterated into Greek as “hosanna” in the Gospels | an urgent plea for deliverance, later used as a crowd’s messianic acclamation (Matthew 21:9) Save now! Hosanna! | Directly quoted at Christ’s triumphal entry, an explicit messianic-kingship acclamation | রক্ষা কর, আমরা প্রার্থনা করি! / হোশান্না (transliterated). Critical. Preserve হোশান্না as a transliterated liturgical term (parallel to আমেন/হাল্লিলূয়া treatment) in NT-connected teaching materials, since “Hosanna” itself is the fixed, familiar form in Gospel narratives; render the underlying Hebrew phrase literally when treating Psalm 118 in its own OT context. |
Psalm 119 — Torah Vocabulary (Longest Psalm)
An acrostic meditation on Torah using multiple near-synonyms: תּוֹרָה/torah (“instruction,” ব্যবস্থা, reused), דָּבָר/davar (“word,” বাক্য/বচন), אִמְרָה/imrah (“saying,” বচন), מִשְׁפָּט/mishpat (“judgment/ordinance,” শাসনবিধি/আদেশ), חֻקָּה/chuqqah (“statute,” বিধি), מִצְוָה/mitzvah (“commandment,” আদেশ/আজ্ঞা), פִּקּוּד/piqqud (“precept,” নির্দেশ). Bengali renderings: বাক্য (word), বিধি (statute), আজ্ঞা (commandment), নির্দেশ (precept) — all Low-Medium risk, standard Bengali Bible vocabulary; the doctrinal point (delight in God’s revealed instruction as life-giving, not burdensome) reinforces Psalm 1’s note on ব্যবস্থা’s broader “joyful instruction” sense in the Psalms versus its narrower Romans-context legal sense.
Psalm 120 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Psalm 121 — My Help Comes from the LORD
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| my help comes from the LORD עֶזְרִי מֵעִם יְהוָה ezri me’im YHWH ”my help [is] from with YHWH” | עֵזֶר/ezer, “help, aid” my help comes from the LORD | Complements the Shepherd/Refuge doctrine with a “helper” title | আমার সাহায্য সদাপ্রভুর কাছ থেকে আসে। Low-Medium. |
| he who keeps you will not slumber לֹא־יָנוּם שֹׁמְרֶךָ lo yanum shomrekha ”your keeper will not doze/slumber” | שֹׁמֵר/shomer, “keeper, guardian” — ever-vigilant care he who keeps you will not slumber | Reinforces the Shepherd-doctrine’s ceaseless watchfulness | তোমার রক্ষক তন্দ্রা যাবেন না। Low. |
Psalm 122–125 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Pilgrimage/Zion psalms reusing established সিয়োন (Zion) vocabulary.
Psalm 126–127 — Restoration and Blessing
No new Critical/High terms; introduces שׁוּב שְׁבִיתְ/“restore the fortunes” idiom — পুনরুদ্ধার করা (restore), Low risk.
Psalm 128–129 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Psalm 130 — Out of the Depths, Waiting, Forgiveness
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| out of the depths I cry to you מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ mi-ma’amaqqim qeratikha ”out of the depths I have called you” | ma’amaqqim, “depths” — deep waters/distress imagery out of the depths I cry to you | The paradigmatic short-form lament opening, central to the “Lament and Honest Prayer” doctrine | গভীর থেকে আমি তোমাকে ডাকি। Low-Medium (concrete distress imagery; no religious-collision risk). |
| if you kept a record of sins… but with you there is forgiveness אִם־עֲוֹנוֹת תִּשְׁמֹר־יָהּ … כִּי־עִמְּךָ הַסְּלִיחָה im-avonot tishmor-Yah… ki immekha ha-selichah ”if iniquities you kept, O LORD… but with you [is] forgiveness” | הַסְּלִיחָה/ha-selichah, the noun form of סָלַח/salach (Ps 25, 51, 103) if you kept a record of sins… but you offer forgiveness | Direct summary restatement of the Psalm 51 confession/forgiveness doctrine | ক্ষমা reused exactly per established Ps 51 usage. High. |
| I wait for the LORD, my soul waits קִוִּיתִי יְהוָה קִוְּתָה נַפְשִׁי qivviti YHWH qivvetah nafshi ”I have waited for YHWH, my soul has waited” | קָוָה/qavah, “to wait expectantly, hope” I wait for the LORD | Patient, hope-filled trust distinct from passive resignation or fatalistic acceptance | অপেক্ষা করি / প্রত্যাশা করি। Low-Medium. Distinguish from ভাগ্য/নিয়তি-style fatalistic waiting (baseline’s providence-doctrine caution); this waiting is confident, relational hope, not resigned fate. |
Psalm 131 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Psalm 132 — Davidic Covenant Oath
Reinforces নিয়ম (covenant) and অভিষিক্ত জন (anointed one) vocabulary in a direct oath-context (יְהוָה נִשְׁבַּע לְדָוִד, “the LORD swore to David”); no new terms, but an important teaching text for the Davidic Covenant/Messianic King doctrine cluster.
Psalm 133 — Unity, Brotherly Dwelling
“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity” — introduces יַחַד/yachad (“together, in unity”) — Bengali একতা/মিলে (ekota), Low-Medium risk, thematically resonant with (but textually distinct from) hesed; useful cross-reference for baseline’s christian_fellowship doctrine.
Psalm 134–135 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Psalm 136 — “His Hesed Endures Forever” (26-fold Refrain)
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| for his hesed endures forever כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ ki le-olam chasdo ”for forever [is] his hesed” | the single most repeated refrain in the entire Psalter (26 times in this psalm alone) for his mercy endures forever, for his love endures forever, for his steadfast love endures forever | The structural and theological climax of the entire “Covenant Faithfulness (Hesed)” doctrine unit — every line of Israel’s history (creation, exodus, conquest, provision) is retold as an act of hesed | কেননা তাঁর অবিচল দয়া অনন্তকালস্থায়ী। Critical — the fixed, non-negotiable refrain rendering for this doctrine unit. Because this exact clause recurs 26 times, absolute consistency is mandatory (per the baseline’s cross-document consistency principle applied to Romans 1:16-17, 8:28, 10:9-10) — this Psalm 136 refrain must receive the same fixed, verbatim-consistent treatment throughout all Phase 2 output. |
Psalm 137 — Lament by the Rivers of Babylon
No new Critical/High glossary terms; a paradigmatic communal-exile lament text (doctrinally important for “Lament and Honest Prayer,” including its unflinching honesty about anger and grief) reusing established lament vocabulary. Note for teaching: the psalm’s raw imprecatory ending is a key text for teaching that biblical lament permits unfiltered honesty brought before God, not that every line models imitable behavior — a native-speaker/theologian framing note, not a translation-term issue.
Psalm 138 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Psalm 139 — Omniscience and Omnipresence
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| you knit me together in my mother’s womb תְּסֻכֵּנִי בְּבֵטֶן אִמִּי tesukeni be-veten immi ”you wove/knit me in my mother’s belly” | סָכַךְ/sakhakh-related weaving imagery for personal, intimate divine formation you knit me together in my mother’s womb | Grounds personal identity and dignity in God’s intimate, personal providence (baseline’s providence doctrine) rather than impersonal biological chance or karmic determination | তুমি আমার মায়ের গর্ভে আমাকে গঠন করেছ। Medium. |
| if I make my bed in Sheol אִם־אַצִּיעָה שְׁאוֹל im-atsi’ah She’ol ”if I make my bed [in] Sheol” | reuses established পাতাল/Sheol vocabulary (Ps 16) if I make my bed in Sheol | God’s presence extends even to the realm of the dead — no location is outside his reach | পাতাল reused per Ps 16 note. High. |
Psalm 140–142 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Psalm 143 — Lament with Hesed Appeal
“For your name’s sake… in your righteousness [tsedeq]… according to your hesed [chesed]” — combines established ধার্মিকতা and অবিচল দয়া vocabulary in a lament context; reinforces the doctrinal link between Lament and Hesed for curriculum teaching purposes. No new terms.
Psalm 144 — no new load-bearing vocabulary
Reuses established rock/fortress/refuge vocabulary (Ps 18, 46, 91).
Psalm 145 — Kingdom, Hesed, and Compassion Combined
“The LORD is gracious and merciful [chanun ve-rachum]… his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom [malkhuto malkhut kol-olamim].” Combines established অনুগ্রহ, করুণাময় (Ps 86), and ঈশ্বরের রাজ্য (baseline’s fixed kingdom_of_god term) vocabulary. No new terms; important synthesis text.
Psalm 146–150 — The Hallelujah Finale
| Terms | Variants | Contextual Meaning | Bengali Rendering & Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Praise the LORD! הַלְלוּ־יָהּ Hallelu-Yah ”praise (plural imperative) Yah [short form of YHWH]“ | the imperative root behind হাল্লিলূয়া, opening and/or closing all five of these final psalms Praise the LORD! Hallelujah! | The Psalter’s climactic doxological frame — everything the book has said about lament, confession, kingship, and covenant faithfulness resolves into unrestrained praise | হাল্লিলূয়া. Critical — reuse baseline transliteration exactly, no substitution. |
| Praise him with trumpet sound… with tambourine and dance… with clashing cymbals הַלְלוּהוּ בְּתֵקַע שׁוֹפָר … בְּתֹף וּמָחוֹל … בְּצִלְצְלֵי־שָׁמַע hallelu-hu be-teqa shofar… be-tof u-machol… be-tsiltselei shama instrumental/physical praise vocabulary | the full range of embodied, musical, communal praise expression praise him with trumpet, tambourine, dance, cymbals | Establishes that biblical praise (the assigned “Praise and Worship” doctrine) is physical, musical, and communal, not merely inward/silent | তূরী/শিঙ্গা বাজিয়ে… খঞ্জনি ও নৃত্য দিয়ে… ঝনঝনা করতাল দিয়ে তাঁর প্রশংসা করো। Medium-High. নৃত্য (dance) and খঞ্জনি/করতাল (tambourine/cymbals) are also central to Bengali Vaishnava bhakti kirtan devotional practice (ecstatic devotional singing-and-dancing before Krishna, especially in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition centered in Bengal). This is a genuine, notable point of cultural resonance — not necessarily to be avoided, since embodied praise is exactly what the text commands, but flag for native-speaker/theologian teaching guidance: the content and object of this praise (the one covenant God, সদাপ্রভু, for his historical, redemptive acts) must be kept doctrinally distinct from bhakti kirtan’s devotional theology and object (Krishna/Hindu deities), even where the physical form of praise (music, dance) may look outwardly similar. |
This document must be read together with 08_core_glossary.md, which consolidates every term identified above into a single enforceable glossary table for Phase 2 translation memory integration.