Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your lovingkindness remember me, for Your goodness’ sake, O Lord. (Psalm 25:7)

There are gathering clouds of condemnation that loom on the horizon of every oft sinning saint. Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. If a man continually sows to the flesh he reaps accordingly. The sowing to the spirit also brings fruit according to the seed sown. This is both natural, scriptural, and to be expected. There is such a thing as the chastening of the LORD unto holiness (Hebrews 12:6ff). In the midst of these often failures, the evil one can bring feelings of inadequacy and resignation as if destruction was certain.

However struggling saint, there is mercy in the hands of our LORD. How often David would cast his soul upon the LORD in the midst of his sin (2 Samuel 24:14; Psalm 41:4, etc.). In Psalm 25,  David teaches us an important truth. It is true that a man reaps what he sows but it is also true that the LORD can put away both the sin and the result thereof. Now, I must not leave here an impression that a man can sin with a high hand with no resultant reaping. There are sins that leave permanent scars, denying us certain privilege within the congregation of the righteous and affecting our testimony.

However, dear saint, there is abundant mercy in the LORD to cover both the sin sown and the reaping. Every sinning saint must cast himself into the hands of the LORD. David did – declaring his trust in the LORD (25:2, 5, 15, 20), while acknowledging and confessing his sinfulness (25:11, 18). His soul was distressed and afflicted because of the fruit of his sin; entrapped within a snare (25:15), desolations attended his fears (25:16, 18), trouble and pain agonized his soul (25:17, 18).

Christian, have we not been in these straits? The answer is to flee to the Lord Jesus Christ. His tender mercies triumph over judgment. He delights in mercy. His faithfulness is new every morning. He will not remember to visit upon you the sins of younger days nor present transgressions. His abundant mercy will remember you for His goodness sake. O’ bless the LORD for His graciousness!