Psalm 45:7 (KJV) “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows”
Psalm 45 is a royal psalm (a wedding song) written for a king, likely in connection with his marriage. However, it also has a messianic dimension, pointing ultimately to Christ. Our text points to two aspects of the character of the king that we must have – love for righteousness and hatred for wickedness.
Righteousness here (Hebrew word, “tsedeq”) means, rightness, justice, what is straight and aligned with God’s will. Now, to love righteousness is to actively pursue what is right, pure, and just. It is conforming to God’s standard of uprightness, fairness, and justice. This love is an active affection and commitment, not just an emotion. Wickedness (Hebrew word, resha‘) on the other hand, speaks of anything criminal, morally wrong; it is lawlessness, injustice, corruption - everything contrary to God’s holiness. To “hate wickedness” means not just avoiding sin but having a deep opposition to evil in all its forms.
Written by: Pastor Andrew A. Esemudje