What is the meaning of Psalm 45:7? You have loved righteousness The psalmist celebrates a person whose deepest affection is for all that pleases God. That person is ultimately the Messiah: “The righteous will live by faith” (Romans 1:17) and “Jesus Christ the Righteous One” (1 John 2:1). His love is not passive; He actively seeks justice, truth, mercy, and holiness (Isaiah 11:3-5). • Every action, word, and motive of Jesus revealed perfect conformity to the Father’s will (John 8:29). • By loving righteousness, He shows us what life in the kingdom is meant to look like (Matthew 5:6, 20). and hated wickedness Love for righteousness automatically produces abhorrence of evil (Romans 12:9). The Lord’s hatred of wickedness is not petty dislike; it is the settled opposition of perfect holiness against sin (Hebrews 1:9, which quotes this very verse). • He drove out the money changers (John 2:13-17). • He rebuked hypocrisy (Matthew 23:13-33). • He condemned every root of sin, even lust and anger of the heart (Matthew 5:21-30). therefore God, your God, Because of His flawless moral posture, the Father publicly affirms the Son. At Jesus’ baptism the voice from heaven declared, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). The relationship is intimate yet distinct: God the Son honored by God the Father (John 17:24). • The “therefore” links character to reward—divine approval follows divine obedience (Philippians 2:8-11). • The phrase also reassures believers that the One who redeems us stands eternally in perfect fellowship with the Father (John 10:30). has anointed you Anointing marks, empowers, and legitimizes. Jesus was anointed by the Spirit “without measure” (John 3:34). Peter testifies, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power” (Acts 10:38). • Kings and priests were anointed in the Old Testament (1 Samuel 16:13; Exodus 29:7); Christ fulfills both offices, and He is also the promised Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 3:22-23). • The anointing underscores His messianic title: “Messiah” and “Christ” both mean “Anointed One” (Luke 4:18-21). above your companions While believers are called “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17), the Son is still uniquely pre-eminent. He is “the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15) and “has become as much superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is excellent beyond theirs” (Hebrews 1:4). • Companions may refer to fellow kings, the people of God, or heavenly beings, yet the Messiah exceeds them all. • His supremacy guarantees the security of His kingdom (Ephesians 1:20-23). with the oil of joy. Oil in Scripture symbolizes the Holy Spirit and festive gladness (Psalm 23:5; Isaiah 61:3). Jesus embodies unshakeable joy: “For the joy set before Him He endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2). This joy is not only His own but also ours: “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). • The anointing of joy flows from His victory over sin and death (Acts 2:24-28). • Believers experience that same joy through the Spirit poured out on Pentecost (Romans 14:17; Galatians 5:22). summary Psalm 45:7 paints a vivid portrait of the Messiah: He passionately loves everything righteous, utterly rejects evil, receives the Father’s public endorsement, is uniquely anointed for His king-priest-prophet mission, stands exalted above every peer, and overflows with triumphant joy. Those united to Him share both His righteousness and His joy, living under the rule of the One whom God has anointed forever. |
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