Why God Shows Mercy to the One Who Confesses

[(Gen. 38:1) AND JUDAH WENT DOWN.] This is what Scripture says (Isa. 55:8): "FOR MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, NEITHER ARE YOUR WAYS MY WAYS." A parable of a king of flesh and blood who sits and judges a man, and the judge says to him: "Say whether you killed or whether you did not kill." If he says to him, "I killed," the judge puts him to death; but if he does not confess, he does not put him to death. The Holy One, blessed be He, however, is not so: whoever confesses, the Holy One, blessed be He, has mercy upon him, as it is said (Prov. 28:13): "BUT WHOEVER CONFESSES AND FORSAKES THEM SHALL OBTAIN MERCY." Rabbi Shimon ben Halafta says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jerusalem, "For what reason did I bring all these judgments upon you? Because you said, 'I have not sinned,' as it is said (Jer. 2:35): 'BEHOLD, I WILL ENTER INTO JUDGMENT WITH YOU FOR YOUR SAYING, I HAVE NOT SINNED.'" But whoever confesses and forsakes shall obtain mercy. Thus (Isa. 55:8): "FOR MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT [YOUR THOUGHTS]," etc. Rabbi Yose ben Ketsartah said: Flesh and blood makes himself a path on a mountain or in a valley; can he possibly make one in the water? But of the Holy One, blessed be He, it is written (Ps. 77:20): "YOUR WAY WAS IN THE SEA, [AND YOUR PATH IN THE MIGHTY WATERS]." In every place that He wishes, He makes Himself a way.