His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins - (Psalms 9:15.) The adulterer and fornicator flatters himself he easily extricate himself from the penalty, as well as from the sin, to which he now gives way. But it is not merely the cords of the punishment, but the cords of his own sins, that hold him enchained against the judgment of the last day: he shall then be self-condemned. Since sin is its own punishment, escape from sin's punishment is impossible to the unchanged sinner (Revelation 22:11). The licentious flatter themselves that in old age, when the passions are less fiery, they will easily extricate themselves from the dominion of their lusts, and repent and seek salvation. But Job 20:11 declares that the old sinner's "bones are full of the sins of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust." Augustine, after experience ('Confession,' B. 6:), says, 'While lust is being served, the habit is formed; and while the habit is not being resisted, necessity is formed.'