Psalm 45 (44):8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

After exalting His divinity, the prophet again focuses on His incarnate form, stating, "Therefore hath He anointed Thee, O God, Thy God." Another translation emphasizes, "For this cause hast Thou anointed Thee," indicating His purpose to fulfill His declarations, eradicate wrongdoing, establish righteousness, and complete His divine work. Do not be disoriented by the attribution of these actions to the Father as well; Scripture articulates this in a way that does not diminish the Son’s works, but rather assigns the unique aspects of the Son to the Father, just as the unique attributes of the Father are ascribed to the Son. "All things are thine," declared the Lord, "and thine are mine" (John 17:10). Paul, in reference to the resurrection, states, "God has raised up the Lord" (1 Cor. 6:14), while John notes, "destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days" (John 2:19).

What is signified by "the oil of gladness"? Christ was anointed not with physical oil, but by the Holy Spirit. Thus, the prophet adds, "more than Thy fellows," emphasizing that none other was anointed in the manner He was. Though there were many anointed figures before Christ, none compared to Him; many sacrifices were offered, but none was as exceptional as He; many sons existed, but He is the only begotten Son. These attributes belong to Him uniquely, not only in His divine nature but also in His incarnation, as He alone was anointed by such a Spirit. Do not be surprised that the prophet refers to this as oil; as a prophet, he speaks in his own right. He aptly referred to it as "of joy" to illustrate that it is a work of gladness, for "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace" (Galatians 5:22). Another translation refers to it as the oil of beauty (αγλαισμου). The Hebrew term used means joy, splendor, or beauty. If it is considered as mirth, that interpretation also holds true. Just as we understand the terms sword, arrows, and bow not as mere weapons but as symbols of Christ’s power accomplishing all previously mentioned works, when you hear "oil," grasp not simply oil, but the concept of anointing. The oil serves merely as a sign of the Spirit; the true essence is the Spirit itself. Hence, there is no reason to hesitate in calling Him anointed, similar to how Abraham and the prophets are designated as anointed, even if they weren’t all anointed with oil, as indicated by, "Touch not my anointed ones, nor do my prophets harm" (Psalm 104:15). When was Christ anointed? It was when the Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove. The term "fellows" is used by the prophet to refer to all who are filled with the Spirit, as John affirms, "and of His fullness have we all received" (John 1:16). In regard to Christ, it is stated, "God gives the Spirit not by measure" (John 3:34). It is also prophesied, "I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh" (Joel 2:28); and it does not merely denote a part of the Spirit, but the entirety of the Spirit poured upon Him, thus it is stated that "God giveth not the Spirit by measure."

He focuses again on the humanity of God, saying: ‘Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity,’ indicating that while others may, through their works and attentiveness, develop a tendency toward good and avoidance of evil, in You, there is an intrinsic connection to goodness and a separation from wrongdoing. However, it is not beyond our ability, should we desire, to cultivate a love for truth and a disdain for iniquity. God has endowed the rational soul with faculties for both love and hatred, allowing us, under reason’s guidance, to cherish virtue and despise vice. Yet, there are times when expressing hatred can be commendable. ‘Do not those who hate Thee, O Lord, hate Thee, and of Thy enemies are they hated’? ‘With perfect hatred I am hated’ (Psalm 138:21-22).

Consider this, O Arians, and recognize the truth within these words. The psalmist refers to all as partakers of the Lord. If the Lord were merely a created being, He too would be among those partaking. However, since He is celebrated as the eternal God with the declaration, "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever," and all creation partakes in Him, what then is the implication? It signifies His separation from all that is created, affirming that He is the true Word, Radiance, and Wisdom of the Father, the source of sanctification through the Spirit.

His anointing is not for the purpose of becoming God—He was already God—or to assume kingship, as He reigns eternally as the Image of God. This references our reality, as earthly kings were anointed to receive kingship for the first time, such as David or Hezekiah. In contrast, the Savior, though fully divine and ever reigning in the Father’s kingdom, is described as being anointed so that in His humanity, He may usher in both the ascension and resurrection, alongside the indwelling and bestowal of the Spirit upon humanity.

It is written, We are made partakers of Christ, if only we hold tightly to the life we have begun until the end (Hebrews 3:14). I am baffled that, in his slander against God, he refers to God as a throne, as though all that is spoken pertains solely to the divinity of the Word and not to the humiliated state of man. Let him take heed of the Acts of the Apostles: God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power (Acts 10:38). Let him consider the Gospel: The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; therefore also the Holy One to be born shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35). Let him recognize the Lord’s declaration: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; for He has anointed Me (Luke 4:18). Through anointing, He calls the apostles and believers, granting them a name derived from His own anointed status, so that from the Anointed One, they are called anointed, and from Christ, they are named Christians.

The most blessed Cyril of Alexandria, in correspondence with Caesar Theodosius, stated: "I affirm that neither the Word born of God apart from humanity nor the temple born of a woman, but not united with the Word, can be properly called Jesus Christ. For ‘Christ' denotes the Word of God, incomprehensibly united with man through the divine architectural plan." He further communicated to the queens: "Some maintain that the title Christ belongs inherently to the Word born of God the Father, which is uniquely conceivable and existent. However, we are not instructed to think or speak in this manner; it was when the Word became flesh that He was designated Jesus Christ. He is called Christ because He was anointed by God the Father with the oil of gladness, or Spirit. It is universally accepted that this anointing pertains to mankind.” Athanasius of All Saints remarked in his discourse on Christ’s redemptive advent: "The Eternal God, prior to His incarnation, was not man; He was God with God, unseen and without suffering. However, upon becoming man, the designation of Christ was attributed to Him, as this name carries an association with suffering and death." Furthermore, when divine Scripture states, "For this cause anointed thou, O God, thy God with the oil of gladness," it is important to recognize that the scriptures frequently employ the past tense in place of the future. An illustration of this can be found when it notes, "after this time He appeared on earth and lived with men" (Bar. 3:38), which indicates that at the time of this statement, God had yet to reveal Himself and dwell among humanity. Another example is found in the verse, "on the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept" (Ps. 136:1), although the event had not yet occurred at the time of the statement.

David continues to speak of Christ's humanity, declaring: "For this reason God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of joy above Your companions." These companions are those who share in commonality with Him. Kings, prophets, and priests share in Christ’s name and are referred to as anointed, thus called Christians due to their anointing. Yet, kings were anointed by prophets using specially prepared oil, a tangible sign of their elevation to royal duty, whereas You, O God, were anointed in a unique manner by Your God, namely the Father. Christ Himself states, "I have been installed as king by Him" (Psalm 2:6), not with ordinary oil, but with the anointing of joy. Just as we comprehend divine instruments like the sword of God and the bow and arrow symbolically rather than literally, we likewise understand the anointing with oil as the impartation of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit delights in the Holy Spirit. The anointing upon Christ was total and not limited since the Holy Spirit filled all of Christ, unlike the private gifts bestowed upon other spirit-filled individuals. This distinction further highlights Christ above the saints, who receive only partial gifts of the Holy Spirit, contrasted with Christ who embodies all gifts as both God and man. According to Chrysostom, it is said, "On these grounds I have anointed You so that You might accomplish everything You have proclaimed: to reject wickedness, to establish righteousness, and to fulfill all Your works." Theologians affirm that the personal union of the Word of God with humanity, termed anointing, does not serve merely as a reward for Christ’s actions but represents the very foundation of all rewards, not merely a result of them. Corossius states that through this union, the Only-begotten acquired all grace, primarily the gift of sinlessness and the ability to please God; for His fellowship with God was not achieved through grace earned by action, although, as noted by Basil, Theodoret, and Chrysostom, the anointing of joy was a consequent part of the union. Theologians interpret these words as entailing a profound truth: God, Your God has anointed You with the oil of joy above all companions; thus, You have loved righteousness and abhorred iniquity. Before being able to discern between good and evil, He opted for goodness. As expressed in Isaiah, even before the youth could grasp good or evil, he rejected evil in favor of goodness (Isa. 7:15). Basil emphasizes that the anointing was bestowed preferentially upon Christ compared to all His fellow anointed ones; they received a limited communion of the Spirit. When the Holy Spirit descended upon the Son of God, it remained with Him, as stated by John. Gregory the Theologian articulates that Christ is deemed "Christ" due to His divinity; the anointing of humanity does not sanctify Him through action, as in the case of others who are anointed, but rather by the sheer presence of the Anointing Himself. Thus, by this anointing, the one who anoints is recognized as human and the recipient of the anointing is known as divine. Additionally, Chrysostom notes the timing of Christ's anointing: when the Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove. This serves as a revelation to humanity that He is indeed the Christ, the Son of God, previously unseen; the Lord was anointed from the moment of conception due to His divine nature. Theodoret remarks that His companions, friends, and brethren in humanity are those who have believed in Him. The Apostle affirms this by saying, "For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold our original confidence firm to the end" (Heb. 3:14).

We do not find any instance in Scripture where a man or an angel is honored with this title without some form of sacrifice. While kings and judges may be referred to as gods in the plural, there are always qualifications attached. The singular term God, as applied to an individual, is rarely found in the Holy Scriptures; it appears only in one instance, where Moses is designated as the God of Pharaoh (Ex. 7:1), and even then, it is heavily qualified as mentioned earlier. Thus, it is evident that this psalm pertains to a kingdom far exalted beyond that of the prophets. The kingly virtues and just governance of Solomon are indeed commended. In the following verse, justice is clearly defined, not merely by meting out punishment for wrongdoing but also by safeguarding truth, innocence, and virtue. We recognize the chaos that arises in kingdoms when wrongdoings go unpunished and rulers act arbitrarily. This has led to the age-old proverb that it is better to live under a king who enforces strict boundaries than under one who permits all things. Solomon’s proverb emphasizes that one who judges the righteous by the wicked and the wicked by the righteous is vile and detestable before the Lord (Proverbs 17:15). He further states, “For this cause Thy God hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness, more than Thy partakers.” The phrase “for this cause” here signifies a reason; Solomon did not receive anointing as a result of his own merit or virtues but solely out of God's gracious favor. God, having predestined him to grace and glory, equipped him with the necessary abilities to fulfill that role—implying that the anointing was foreordained before any virtues were acknowledged, which cannot be justly ascribed to him alone. The “partakers” refers to Solomon’s siblings, particularly Adonijah, to whom Solomon was preferred despite being younger; his kingship was established by divine foreknowledge even before his birth. This anointing is termed the oil of joy because the prosperity of the Church and the joyful well-being of the people entrusted to the anointed leader hinge upon it.