Psalm 17:10

Psalm 17:10 shifts focus from the psalmist to the character of his enemies. 'They are enclosed in their own fat' uses a visceral image: 'fat' here may mean prosperity, comfort, or spiritual insensitivity—a hardened, thickened state that makes them impervious to appeal or conscience. Being 'enclosed' suggests they are sealed in, trapped within their own self-satisfaction and indifference. This is not a description of poverty or suffering but of a dangerous state: people whose comfort and self-assurance have calcified their hearts, making them incapable of mercy or truth.

The second line sharpens the portrait: 'with their mouth they speak proudly.' Their words are arrogant, boastful, loud. The connection between their inner hardness and their outer speech shows that their cruelty flows from a deep condition of spiritual insensitivity and self-exaltation. These enemies are not weak or threatened; they are strong and confident in their own words. Their very arrogance and enclosure show why the psalmist cannot appeal to their mercy—they are beyond reach of such appeal. This is why he must turn entirely to God for protection.