I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin– Psalm 32:5
Two things we are clearly meant to take away from this account: sin must be confessed and, when it is, sin will be forgiven.
The psalmist reports that he was brought to the place of acknowledging his sin. He was not trying to hide it, or justify it, or excuse it. He held nothing back during his confession; he admitted to God his every fault and failing.
As he freely admits his sin to the Lord, we should notice, the psalmist also freely acknowledges it as sin (not just a mistake or personality flaw). He confesses his transgressions to the Lord. They are his (no one else is to blame) and they are transgressions (willful offenses against the law of God).
Have you gone to the Lord in confession and owned up to your own willful disobedience and pride? Have you utterly opened your heart to him, acknowledging the wrongs you have done against his good and just law?
Then—but only then—will we have the same assurance in which the psalmist rejoices, that our sin is forgiven and every transgression pardoned. What a sweet, powerful thing is a clean conscience before our holy God!
Do not delay the repentance that God deserves or the forgiveness that you need.