Psalm 38:1-8

    1      O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your wrath,
    Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure!
    2      For Your arrows pierce me deeply,
    And Your hand presses me down.

    3      There is no soundness in my flesh
    Because of Your anger,
    Nor any health in my bones
    Because of my sin.
    4      For my iniquities have gone over my head;
    Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
    5      My wounds are foul and festering
    Because of my foolishness.

    6      I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly;
    I go mourning all the day long.
    7      For my loins are full of inflammation,
    And there is no soundness in my flesh.
    8      I am feeble and severely broken;
    I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.
-Psalm 38:1-8

We ought not read this and think the chastening of the Lord is a bad thing. Hebrews spends a considerable amount of text explaining that the Lord chastens those He loves. He brings forth repentance in His correction. As we see the attitude of the Psalmist here, consider what godly sorrow looks like. Remember that godly sorrow leads to repentance. The sorrow and mourning that we see in this text is that of someone who genuinely mourns their sin before the Lord. Something that we must remember is that godly sorrow leads to repentance, it does not follow it. Do not fall for the trap that you must continually mourn the sin you have repented of. The grace of Jesus is sufficient and your confession brought about forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness in Jesus.

As I read this passage I think of something Jesus said in His sermon on the mount.

4      Blessed are those who mourn,
      For they shall be comforted.
-Matthew 5:4

Upon that mourning of sin we are brought comfort from the Lord. The way the early church walked was in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Sin brings forth separation from the Lord. It is that which brought the cause of death for the Son. There is great cause to mourn in having sinned. However, the Lord delights in showing mercy and does so with great haste. He comforts those who come before Him in repentance. If there is sin in your life, repent quickly. Turn to the Lord and offer yourself plainly. Do not continue any longer in sin. He is faithful and just to forgive you your sin and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.