Psalm 45:7 You love righteousness, and hate wickedness: therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows. The anointing received by our Lord was the resting upon Him of the Spirit of God without measure (Isaiah 61.). Therefore by the "oil of gladness" is meant the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of joy. The whole Trinity is engaged in our salvation. The Father sends the Son, the Son comes, the Holy Spirit anoints Him. I. THE SAVIOUR'S ANOINTING WITH GLADNESS. We think more often of our Saviour as the "Man of Sorrows" rather than in connection with gladness. To those who only saw Him outwardly He was the Man of Sorrows, but those who knew His heart knew well that a deep joy abode there. Is there not seen to be happiness in the heart when the noblest motives are paramount and the sweetest graces bear sway? 1. Our Lord's gladness which He had in His work, Psalm 40. tells of Him as saying, "I delight to do Thy will, O my God." At the well of Samaria His joy in the conversion of the woman He met there made Him quite forget all about His need of food. "I have meat to eat that ye know not of" — so He tells His disciples. Once, indeed, His joy flowed over, so that others could see it, when He said, "I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because," etc. And it is added, "At that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit." And so, in their measure, is it with those who are His followers. They also are in like manner anointed with the oil of gladness. "With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought;" they work for the King with a willing heart. 2. Note, further, that our Lord had this oil of gladness from His work. He did reap in joy as well as sow in tears. The good shepherd rejoiced when he had found his sheep that was lost. The Saviour looks upon the redeemed with an unspeakable delight. And we may be partakers in this joy of being instrumentally the saviour of others; then you, also, partake of His gladness. 3. And our Lord has this gladness in this sense too — that His person and His work are the cause of ineffable gladness in others. It fills us with delight only to think of Him. "The very thought of Thee with sweetness fills my heart." What gladness He created when He was here below. And if the Lord Jesus be with us, we can give joy to others. There are some whose very presence comforts others, their words are so full of consolation and help. II. THE REASON FOR THE BESTOWAL OF THIS ANOINTING UPON HIM. "Thou lovest righteousness and... therefore God," etc. There must be perfect holiness before there can be perfect happiness. Sin is the enemy of joy. Let the sinner say what he likes, sin can no more dwell with real joy than the lion will lie down with the lamb. Now, every way Jesus loved righteousness intensely. He died that He might establish it. And those who are in fellowship with Him are anointed also. The holy oil was forbidden to be placed upon a stranger to God's holy house; and upon man's flesh it could not be poured, because man's flesh is a corrupt and polluted thing. So, then, because He is righteous Himself, and because He makes others righteous, Christ has received this anointing. III. THE MANNER OF THE OPERATION OF THIS, THIS OIL OF GLADNESS UPON US. Now, does the Holy Spirit give us gladness? 1. Because we are anointed "kings and priests with God, and we shall reign for ever." 2. We are consecrated to the Lord. We are not our own, we are bought with a price. 3. By this oil we are qualified for our office (1 John 2:20). 4. The Spirit of God heals our diseases. The Eastern mode of medicine was generally the application of oil, and certainly the Holy Spirit is a healer to us. What wounds and bruises have been healed with this oil. 5. Thus, also, we are supplied and softened. So was it with the body when oil was applied to it, and softness and tenderness of heart are the work of the Holy Spirit. 6. By the oil of the Holy Spirit we are strengthened. 7. Beautified. 8. Perfumed. ( C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. |
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