Psalm 45/Notes/Phrasal.v. 8.356260

v. 8 – One possible interpretation of שֶׁ֥מֶן שָׂשׂ֗וֹן is entity-synonym, which employs the imagery of anointing oil to refer to the giving of something else, namely joy. An analogous use is found in Isa 61:3, in which abstract ideas (gladness, praise) are described with concrete images (oil, garment):

לָשׂ֣וּם ׀ לַאֲבֵלֵ֣י צִיּ֗וֹן לָתֵת֩ לָהֶ֨ם פְּאֵ֜ר תַּ֣חַת אֵ֗פֶר שֶׁ֤מֶן שָׂשׂוֹן֙ תַּ֣חַת אֵ֔בֶל מַעֲטֵ֣ה תְהִלָּ֔ה תַּ֖חַת ר֣וּחַ כֵּהָ֑ה

[YHWH has anointed me . . .] to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. (NIV)

Nevertheless, it is unclear in Ps 45 what it would mean to be anointed with joy, where his peers had not been (see the note on the final phrase of the verse, מֵֽחֲבֵרֶֽיךָ). Rather, the construct relationship is plausibly that of entity-result, such that the anointing oil of the king results in joy—not only his but also those witness both his coronation and wedding. Indeed, the righteous and just nature of his rule cause his subjects to rejoice, as possibly asserted also in Proverbs 29:2: "When the righteous are in power the people rejoice" (REB).