Pemikiran Yahudi Mazmur 38:19: Duties & Derashot HaRan

(3) When one is praised for his good qualities, it is his duty to submit himself, and to reflect on previous sins and iniquities he committed, which the Creator knows about and yet keeps them secret, and holds back (retribution) from him so that he may repent from them. He should not rejoice in that his fellow men are mistaken about him. Rather, let him mourn, since the Creator knows truly the wickedness of his deeds, and his neglect in fulfilling his duties to Him and from rendering thanks for His kindnesses, and he should submit in his heart as written: "For I relate my iniquity; I worry about my sin" (Tehilim 38:19).

The answer to our question, then, [as to how one can repent if he cannot fulfill the requirement of "the same age period"] is that his repentance, indeed, does not increase his merits, but it suffices to atone his previous transgressions. However, this repentance must also be complete. It is not enough that one say "But we have sinned and been guilty" with his mouth and lips and not constantly search out his deeds. But all men must always examine their ways, both in respect to the transgressions between man and G-d and those between man and his neighbor, and their transgressions must be constantly before their eyes. For we see our righteous anointed one [David] to have said (Psalms 51:5): "For I know my offenses and my sin is constantly before me" — in spite of our sages' having said (Shabbath 55b): "All who say that David sinned are mistaken." Notwithstanding this, because there was some inadvertent element of sin, he placed it constantly before his eyes and was worried and afflicted by it, as it is written (Psalms 38:19): "For I will declare my transgression; I will worry over my sin" — though he did not commit the ostensible sin and though "all who say that David sinned are mistaken."