Psalms 51:5

Psalms 51:5. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

David does not say that by way of making an excuse for himself; but rather to aggravate his own guilt. He admits that his guiltiness is really a part of himself. He does not say, "Lord, I was acting contrary to my nature when I committed this sin. Thou knowest that it was not like me to do that." Oh, no! but he says, "Lord, thou knowest that I was acting quite in accordance with my nature, it was just like me to fall into this terrible sin." We have sometimes heard people say that they were surprised to find that they had been guilty of certain sins; let it not be so with you, but rather be you surprised to find yourself kept from guilt, wonder when you are preserved from sin, for the whole tendency of unrenewed human nature is towards iniquity. "In sin did my mother conceive me."