Psalm 45:7 says that the king loves righteousness and hates wickedness and therefore has been anointed by God with the oil of gladness beyond his companions. In the ancient royal setting, anointing marks God's choice and favor upon the king.

Hebrews 1:9 quotes this verse directly concerning the Son, making its messianic application explicit. Matthew 3:16 records the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at His baptism, an event Christians naturally associate with His public anointing for ministry. The psalm's oil is poetic royal imagery rather than a prediction of the visible descent of the Spirit, but the broader theme is fulfilled in Jesus as God's uniquely Anointed King, distinguished by perfect righteousness and endowed with the Spirit.