阅读经文 

我们在向神祷告时偶尔会使用华丽的词语，我们或许试图给人留下一个好印象。但还有些时候，我们在祷告中是直接和毫无遮掩的，以破碎的心承认我们的罪，因为我们知道自己得罪了神。

《诗篇》五十一篇是一个直接了当的、诚实的祷告。诗人把罪描述为他生命中的一个大污点。他知道自己所犯的罪糟蹋了他生命的美。罪是对神的冒犯，它需要被洗净。

罪会玷污一个人的生命，而神有能力将这个生命重新擦拭干净。诗人祈求宽恕，请求神洁净他，使他的生命重焕美丽。真诚的认罪之所以可能，因为我们相信神必会垂听并饶恕。

因着耶稣在十字架上向我们显明的恩典，我们也能以毫无遮掩的诚实向神祷告，承认我们罪的污点，请求神再次赐予我们清洁的心。神应许要洁净我们，使我们重新变得美丽。神应许带走我们的罪孽和羞耻，更新我们的灵。我们诚实的忏悔会迎来神信实的恩典和爱。

Sometimes we use fancy language in our prayers to God. It can sound as if we are trying to make a good impression. Other times, though, we are direct and brutally honest in our prayers, confessing our sin with a broken heart because we know we have failed.

Psalm 51 is a brutally honest prayer. The psalmist describes sin as a great stain on his life. He knows that the sin he has done messes up the beauty of his life. Sin is offensive to God, and it needs to be washed away.

Just as surely as sin stains a person's life, God has the power to wipe that life clean again. The psalmist prays for forgiveness, asking God to cleanse him and make his life beautiful again. The honesty of the confession is possible because of the trust that God will hear and forgive.

Because of the grace of Jesus shown to us on the cross, we can also pray to God with brutal honesty, confessing the stain of our sin and asking God to give us pure hearts again. God promises to cleanse us and make us beautiful again. God promises to take away our guilt and shame and to renew our spirits. Our honest confession is met with God's faithful grace and love.