“If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword;
he has bent and readied his bow;
he has prepared for him his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts.
Behold, the wicked man conceives evil
and is pregnant with mischief
and gives birth to lies.
He makes a pit, digging it out,
and falls into the hole that he has made.
His mischief returns upon his own head,
and on his own skull his violence descends.”
—Psalm 7:12-16 ESV

So far in this psalm, we’ve talked about some difficult but important themes: God’s anger, the judgment of evil, and now, repentance.

Repentance is almost a “bad word,” conjuring images of judgmental people holding a sandwich board with a list of the kinds of people who are going to hell.

But the biblical idea of repentance actually points us to the goodness and mercy of God.

You see, most people (myself included) find it hard to get over a grudge. To forgive. To turn over a new leaf with someone. Especially if they did something horrible to you or someone you loved.

But God is different.

1 John 1:19 (ESV) says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

There is no sin too great for God to forgive, and it is never too late to repent (change one’s mind and course) and surrender to God.

And considering the fact that those who do evil “fall into the hole that they have made,” God’s offer of repentance is a great sign of his mercy.

That is good news, especially for those of us who aren’t perfect.

Here is a short prayer to help you invite God into every moment of your day:

Inhale: God,
Exhale: Thank you for your mercy.