The words “I’m sorry” are two of the hardest words for many of us to say. I think that the reason is because we have a problem with guilt. None of us wants to admit when we are wrong. We hate the feeling of having our shortcomings and our failings put on display. And we really hate when we have to own up to it.

But as we’ve also been saying, God uses our emotions as signposts, to point us to Himself. In Psalm 51, we see how God can actually use our guilt to point us back to himself and show us the depth of his grace and love. Furthermore, it helps us discover the difference between remorse and repentance, between regeneration and reprieve.