We would do well to each acknowledge the sins of our youth before God.  The passage of time, and our aging and maturing alone does not remedy our sinful past.

Matthew Henry comments, “Here is an implicit confession of sin; he specifies particularly the sins of his youth.  Note, Our youthful faults and follies should be a matter of repentance and humiliation long after, because time does not wear out the guilt of sin.  Old people should mourn for the sinful pleasures of their youth.”

Some folks look back upon their sinful youth with fond memories.  They glory in the wrongs they did (cf. Proverbs 2:14; Romans 1:28-32).  They joke and jest and have pleasures about such (cf. Proverbs 10:23; Ephesians 5:4, 11-12).  They might even have the attitude that every youth ought to sow his wild oats (cf. Romans 1:28-32; 1 Corinthians 13:6).  After all. you’re only young once! (cf. Ecclesiastes 12:1a).

Instead, we, as the psalmist, David, ought to recognize with remorse the sins of our past. We should mourn over them, not celebrate them (Matthew 5:4). Moreover, we should confess our faults to God (Proverbs 28:13; Psalm 32:5; Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:8-9).  Our faults may be too numerous to even recall individually all these years later;  But, we can petition God, “Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions” (Psalm 25:7a).