hi-lock-from-file.el

(require 'hi-lock)

(defun grepf->regexp (file)
  (with-temp-buffer
    (insert-file-contents file)
    (goto-char (point-max))
    (when (looking-back "\n")
      (delete-char -1) )
    (goto-char (point-min))
    (while (search-forward "\n" nil t)
      (replace-match "\\|" nil t) )
    (buffer-substring (point-min) (point-max)) ))

(defun hi-lock-from-file (file &optional face)
  "Set face of each match of regexps in FILE to FACE.

Interactively, prompt for FILE then FACE.
FILE is grep -f style"
  (interactive
   (list
    (read-file-name "Pattern File:" )
    (hi-lock-read-face-name)))
  (hi-lock-face-buffer (grepf->regexp file) face) )

(define-key hi-lock-map "\C-xwf" 'hi-lock-from-file)