Bible Strands
Psalms 17:10
They have closed their callous hearts; their mouths speak with arrogance.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — David addresses God, describing mortal enemies who surround and track him down. He contrasts their encircling threat with his own posture of appeal.
The words — The Hebrew סָגַר (sa.ge.Ru) literally means "they have closed up," paired with חֵלֶב (cheleb, "fat") to depict unresponsive, callous hearts. Their speech is characterized by גֵּאוּת (ge'ut, "pride"), marking their words as arrogant rather than truthful.
The thread — Arrogant speech against the righteous recurs in 1 Samuel 2:3 and Psalm 31:18, where boasting lips are condemned. Psalm 123:4 similarly ties this pride to the scorn faced by the faithful.
Why it lands — The text records that hostile words originate from hardened hearts, not from justified grievance. It requires the reader to reject the enemy's pride as evidence of their own impending judgment.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 2:3 Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by Him actions are weighed.
- Psalms 31:18 May lying lips be silenced—lips that speak with arrogance against the righteous, full of pride and contempt.
- Psalms 123:4 We have endured much scorn from the arrogant, much contempt from the proud.
- Matthew 13:15 For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’
- Revelation 13:5 The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months.
- Exodus 5:2 But Pharaoh replied, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.”
- Exodus 15:9 The enemy declared, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.’
- Job 15:27 Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with flesh,
- Psalms 73:7 From their prosperity proceeds iniquity; the imaginations of their hearts run wild.
- Psalms 119:70 Their hearts are callous and insensitive, but I delight in Your law.