Charles Spurgeon Commentary Jeremiah 3:13

"Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against Jehovah thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith Jehovah." — Jeremiah 3:13 (ASV)

Only acknowledge your iniquity,

It is all he asks you to do. Confess that you have done wrong.

Only acknowledge your iniquity.

That you have transgressed against the Lord your God, and have scattered your ways to the strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed my voice, says the LORD.

It was under the trees that they set up their altars to worship their false gods; so that they turned the graves, which should be full of beauty and sweet with song, into places of idolatry, by which God was provoked. But he says, "Only confess it. Come and lament it. Own that you have been guilty, and I will put away the sin."

Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord.

Confess that sad fact; acknowledge that you have thus sinned.

Into the ear of God pour out the full confession of your criminality.

He cannot ask for anything less than this; surely you cannot object to it.

If you have thus treated him, come and confess it with your head in his bosom, for he is willing to receive you, even if you are the very biggest sinner out of hell.