Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Following the declaration of the King’s divine throne and righteous sceptre (v.6), this verse shows the character of His rule and the reason for His exaltation. The One addressed is the Son, as Paul affirms in the New Testament (Hebrews 1:8-9; vv. 6-7). His kingdom stands upon His perfect love of righteousness and His hatred of wickedness, and therefore He is set above all.
“Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness.” This declares the inward perfection of Christ. He does not simply act in righteousness; He loves it. He not only avoids evil; He hates it. This is the disposition of His heart. As the psalmist elsewhere declares, “I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me” (Psalm 119:30), yet in Christ this is perfect and without mixture. As it is written, He is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26), and He “did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). In Him there is no conflict, no wavering, no inclination toward evil. His love of righteousness is constant, and His hatred of wickedness is absolute.
This also shows the moral foundation of His kingdom. He does not rule by power alone, but by righteousness loved and wickedness opposed. All His judgments proceed from this perfect disposition, for He cannot be corrupted or turned aside. As Isaiah declares, “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth” (Isaiah 11:4). Thus, His rule is both strong and pure, and His kingdom stands because it is grounded in what is right.
“Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee.” Because of this righteousness, He is publicly set in His kingly office. This anointing is not the beginning of His worth, but the open declaration and establishment of His rule. The “therefore” shows the connection between His character and His exaltation: He is raised up because He is righteous. As the apostle declares, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him” (Philippians 2:9), showing that His obedience unto death is answered by His exaltation.
This answers to His humiliation and subsequent exaltation in time. His course was set toward this end, for the time came “that he should be received up” (Luke 9:51), and it was fulfilled when He was “received up into glory” (1 Timothy 3:16). In heaven He is seen taking His place in power and honor, as the Lamb that was slain is brought forth and exalted, and all give glory unto Him (Revelation 5:9-12). This is the coronation of the King, when His kingdom is openly manifested, and His right to reign is acknowledged before all.
“With the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” The oil of gladness is the anointing of the Holy Spirit, given to Him without measure. As Isaiah declares, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me” (Isaiah 61:1), which He declared fulfilled in Himself (Luke 4:18-21). God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power (Acts 10:38), and gave not the Spirit by measure unto Him (John 3:34).
This anointing is called the oil of gladness because of the joy that accompanies the Spirit’s presence and work. He endured His course in view of this joy, for He was “set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). His exaltation is therefore marked by fullness of joy, not only in Himself, but in the success of His work. As the prophet declares, “he shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied” (Isaiah 53:11). Thus His gladness is the joy of a finished work and an established kingdom.
Being exalted, He also received the promise of the Holy Ghost to pour out upon His people (Acts 2:33). Thus, His anointing is not for Himself alone, but flows from Him to His people, making them partakers of His blessing. As it is written, “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace” (John 1:16). In this, He is above all His fellows, having the fullness of the Spirit and the preeminence in all things. His exaltation is higher than all, and His joy is full, for He now reigns in righteousness and peace without end (Isaiah 9:7).
This verse sets forth the coronation of Christ as King, grounded in His perfect righteousness and fulfilled in His being received up into glory to reign above all. Therefore, let men rejoice that such a King reigns, whose rule is righteous and whose joy is full, and let them submit to Him who alone is worthy to be exalted. As the psalmist declares, “Righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne” (Psalm 97:2), and then the Revelation “Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” (Revelation 14:7).
Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Following the declaration of the King’s divine throne and righteous sceptre (v.6), this verse shows the character of His rule and the reason for His exaltation. The One addressed is the Son, as Paul affirms in the New Testament (Hebrews 1:8-9; vv. 6-7). His kingdom stands upon His perfect love of righteousness and His hatred of wickedness, and therefore He is set above all.
“Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness.” This declares the inward perfection of Christ. He does not simply act in righteousness; He loves it. He not only avoids evil; He hates it. This is the disposition of His heart. As the psalmist elsewhere declares, “I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me” (Psalm 119:30), yet in Christ this is perfect and without mixture. As it is written, He is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26), and He “did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). In Him there is no conflict, no wavering, no inclination toward evil. His love of righteousness is constant, and His hatred of wickedness is absolute.
This also shows the moral foundation of His kingdom. He does not rule by power alone, but by righteousness loved and wickedness opposed. All His judgments proceed from this perfect disposition, for He cannot be corrupted or turned aside. As Isaiah declares, “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth” (Isaiah 11:4). Thus, His rule is both strong and pure, and His kingdom stands because it is grounded in what is right.
“Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee.” Because of this righteousness, He is publicly set in His kingly office. This anointing is not the beginning of His worth, but the open declaration and establishment of His rule. The “therefore” shows the connection between His character and His exaltation: He is raised up because He is righteous. As the apostle declares, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him” (Philippians 2:9), showing that His obedience unto death is answered by His exaltation.
This answers to His humiliation and subsequent exaltation in time. His course was set toward this end, for the time came “that he should be received up” (Luke 9:51), and it was fulfilled when He was “received up into glory” (1 Timothy 3:16). In heaven He is seen taking His place in power and honor, as the Lamb that was slain is brought forth and exalted, and all give glory unto Him (Revelation 5:9-12). This is the coronation of the King, when His kingdom is openly manifested, and His right to reign is acknowledged before all.
“With the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” The oil of gladness is the anointing of the Holy Spirit, given to Him without measure. As Isaiah declares, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me” (Isaiah 61:1), which He declared fulfilled in Himself (Luke 4:18-21). God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power (Acts 10:38), and gave not the Spirit by measure unto Him (John 3:34).
This anointing is called the oil of gladness because of the joy that accompanies the Spirit’s presence and work. He endured His course in view of this joy, for He was “set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). His exaltation is therefore marked by fullness of joy, not only in Himself, but in the success of His work. As the prophet declares, “he shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied” (Isaiah 53:11). Thus His gladness is the joy of a finished work and an established kingdom.
Being exalted, He also received the promise of the Holy Ghost to pour out upon His people (Acts 2:33). Thus, His anointing is not for Himself alone, but flows from Him to His people, making them partakers of His blessing. As it is written, “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace” (John 1:16). In this, He is above all His fellows, having the fullness of the Spirit and the preeminence in all things. His exaltation is higher than all, and His joy is full, for He now reigns in righteousness and peace without end (Isaiah 9:7).
This verse sets forth the coronation of Christ as King, grounded in His perfect righteousness and fulfilled in His being received up into glory to reign above all. Therefore, let men rejoice that such a King reigns, whose rule is righteous and whose joy is full, and let them submit to Him who alone is worthy to be exalted. As the psalmist declares, “Righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne” (Psalm 97:2), and then the Revelation “Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” (Revelation 14:7).