Conviction of Sin

But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.

Among those nations you will find no repose, not even a resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a despairing soul. …

“Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth.

I have spoken once, but I have no answer—twice, but I have nothing to add.”

For my life is consumed with grief and my years with groaning; my iniquity has drained my strength, and my bones are wasting away.

A Psalm of David, for remembrance. O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath. …

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. …

Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. …

Then I said: “Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips dwelling among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts.”

See, O LORD, how distressed I am! I am churning within; my heart is pounding within me, for I have been most rebellious. Outside, the sword bereaves; inside, there is death.

The survivors will escape and live in the mountains, moaning like doves of the valley, each for his own iniquity.

Every hand will go limp, and every knee will turn to water.

Anguish is coming! They will seek peace, but find none.

Disaster upon disaster will come, and rumor after rumor. Then they will seek a vision from a prophet, but instruction from the priests will perish, as will counsel from the elders.

Now as for you, son of man, tell the house of Israel that this is what they have said: ‘Our transgressions and our sins are heavy upon us, and we are wasting away because of them! How can we live?’

They will lick the dust like a snake, like reptiles slithering on the ground. They will come trembling from their strongholds in the presence of the LORD our God; they will tremble in fear of You.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees. “Go away from me, Lord,” he said, “for I am a sinful man.”

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.

Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them

But if an unbeliever or uninstructed person comes in while everyone is prophesying, he will be convicted and called to account by all,

…and the secrets of his heart will be made known. So he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is truly among you!”