it was pleasant for him, like balm to his bones
Figuratively: He received it with joy. The thing was most pleasant to him.
("He wore cursing as his garment; it came like water into his inward parts, and like oil into his bones" – Psalms 109:18 (in literal meaning), and also: "But that conversation of hints that we spoke between us came like the good oil into my bones and like cold water to a thirsty soul" – J. Burla, Longing, 76, and also: "From doughy pastry, from the bread of her tears / and I will sup, and her sigh came into my bones" – H.N. Bialik, My Songs, and also: "The oil that came into the bones of Rabbi Lipa apparently did its work" – Bialik, The Short Sixth Day, G)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
בָּא כַּשֶּׁמֶן בְּעַצְמוֹתָיו
Definition (Hebrew)
בְּהַשְׁאָלָה: קִבֵּל אֶת הַדָּבָר בְּשִׂמְחָה. הַדָּבָר נָעַם לוֹ בְּיוֹתֵר.
("וַיִּלְבַּשׁ קְלָלָה כְּמַדּוֹ וַתָּבֹא כַמַּיִם בְּקִרְבּוֹ וְכַשֶּׁמֶן בְּעַצְמוֹתָיו"- תְּהִלִּים קָט יח (בְּמַשְׁמָעוּת מִלּוּלִית), וְכֵן:"אֲבָל אוֹתָהּ שִׂיחַת רְמָזִים שדיברנו בֵּינֵינוּ בָּאָה כשמן הַטּוֹב בעצמותי וכמים קָרִים לְנֶפֶשׁ צְמֵאָה"-י.בּוּרְלָא/ כִּסּוּפִים, 76, וְכֵן:"ממאפה בצקה, מלחם דמעתה/ ואעלע, וַתָּבֹא בְּעַצְמִי אנחתה"- ח.נ. בְּיָאלִיק/ שירתי, וְכֵן:"הַשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁבָּא בעצמותיו שֶׁל ר' ליפא, עָשָׂה, כַּנִּרְאֶה אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ"- בְּיָאלִיק/ יוֹם הששי הַקָּצָר, ג)