This is the confession of sin shared by all of God's people. We've all strayed, and together we confess, from the first to the last, "All we like sheep have gone astray." This admission is both collective and personal: "We've turned every one to his own way." Each person carries their own unique sinfulness. We're all sinful, but each with our own particular faults.

True repentance gathers with fellow believers yet stands honestly alone. "We've turned every one to his own way" means each has sinned against their own understanding or with a guilt they don't see in others. This confession holds nothing back. It's a surrender of self-righteousness, a declaration from those who know their guilt—guilty with no excuses.

They stand with their broken rebellion and cry, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we've turned every one to his own way." Yet there's no despair in this confession, because immediately we hear, "The Lord has laid on him the sin of us all." This truth, though heavy, is full of comfort. Where misery abounded, mercy reigned. Where sorrow peaked, weary souls rest. The wounded Savior heals wounded hearts. The simplest look at Christ on the cross turns deepest repentance into confident hope.