“He who conceals his transgression will not prosper. But he who confesses and forsakes will obtain mercy.”
– Proverbs 28:13
So, we think about our lives, and we realize, okay, we’re prone to sin. But then maybe even more dangerous than that, we’re prone when we sin to try to cover it up, to try to conceal it, to try to pretend that it’s not there, to try to pretend that it didn’t happen.
Prosperity is actually found, not in concealing sin, but in confessing it, forsaking it, and finding mercy.
This Proverb is making clear to us in a warning, “Do not try to conceal your transgression. You will not prosper when you do that.” But the converse, listen to this, “He who confesses and forsakes transgression will obtain mercy.” How was just to think about is when we sin, we think, “Oh, the best thing I could do is to try to cover this up, pretend like it never happened.” But the Bible is encouraging us, “Don’t do that. That is not a way to prosper. That prosperity is actually found in confessing your sin, in forsaking it and turning from it and finding mercy in the process.”
Proverbs 28:13 Causes Us to Reflect on Our Sin
So, think about sin in your life. Think about the tendency you have, maybe even on a specific level, to cover over sin, to try to conceal it, to try to pretend like it’s not there. Realize that will not lead to prosperity, that confessing sin, which you think, “Well, I don’t want to bring this out in the open.” This goes counter to what we think would be wise. We think oh if we hide it, that it will be better. But not when Jesus has paid the price for that sin.
When we are coming before God who says in First John, chapter one, verse nine, “If you confess your sins, he’s faithful and just to forgive you of your sin, and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.” Therefore, we don’t need to fear confession of sin. What we need to fear is concealment of sin, and thinking that when we conceal it, that’s going to be good for us. That will not be good for us, and obviously will not be glorifying to God. God is glorified when we confess our sin, when we repent of it, and he showers his mercy on our lives. He is ready to do that whenever we confess our sin.
Proverbs 28:13 Calls Us to Repent Our Sins
So, we pray, God, help us. God, help us not to conceal sin, not to try to pretend it’s not there. Or help us to resist that temptation, even of itself, once we have sinned to try to cover it up. God, help us not to do that. Help us to confess it honestly before you. Help us to confess it honestly before others, particularly when we have sinned against others, or when our sin is affecting others. God, help us to confess that to you and to others.
In the process of turning from that sin, of repenting from that sin, Lord, we pray for your mercy. God, we pray for your mercy to cover over our sin. We praise you that we don’t have to try to cover over our sin because you have done what is necessary for that sin to be covered over, that the blood of Jesus covers over our sin in such a way that it would be foolish for us to try to cover over it ourselves.
God, keep us from concealing sin, we pray. Help us to confess sin, humbly, honestly before you and others. Help us to turn from it and in the process to find, to obtain mercy, in Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
