Confessing Secret Sins to God in Private Prayer

Confessing secret sins to God in private prayer is a significant aspect of Christian spiritual discipline, rooted in biblical teachings about repentance and God's knowledge of the human heart. This practice involves acknowledging one's transgressions directly to God, often in solitude, with the expectation of divine forgiveness and cleansing ^{[1, 2, 3]}.

The concept of secret sins is highlighted in scripture, such as in Psalm 19:12 (Douay-Rheims Challoner), which asks, "Who can understand sins? from my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord" ^[2]. This verse suggests that individuals may commit sins that are hidden from others, and perhaps even from their own full understanding, yet they are known to God. The act of confession, therefore, is a response to God's omnipresence and omniscience.

Biblical figures demonstrate this practice. David, for instance, declares in Psalm 32:5, "I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin" ^[1]. This passage illustrates a direct, private confession to God, followed by the experience of pardon. John Gill notes that David's confession encompassed "all his sins, which were many, with all their aggravated circumstances," including "his private and secret sins, which none knew but God and himself" ^[10]. This emphasizes the comprehensive nature of private confession, covering known and hidden faults.

Daniel also exemplifies this practice, joining confession with prayer. Matthew Henry observes that in Daniel 9:4, Daniel "made his confession" to God, which included not only acknowledging specific sins but also expressing faith, sorrow for sin, and resolve against it ^[9]. This suggests that private confession is not merely an enumeration of wrongdoings but a holistic act of repentance and renewed commitment to God.

The New Testament further supports the importance of private prayer and, by extension, private confession. Jesus instructed his followers to pray in their "closet" or "chamber" with the door shut, emphasizing the intimacy and secrecy of such communion with God ^[11]. This setting is conducive to confessing secret sins without the performative aspect that might accompany public confession.

Confession of sin is presented as a requirement from God, with promises of pardon for those who engage in it ^[3]. Torrey's Topical Textbook lists several elements that should accompany confession, including submission to punishment, prayer for forgiveness, self-abasement, godly sorrow, and forsaking sin ^[3]. This indicates that private confession is not a superficial act but requires deep introspection and a genuine desire for change. Adam Clarke, commenting on Ezra 10:11, describes confession as acknowledging sins "with deep compunction of heart, and the fullest resolution to forsake them" ^[8].

The nature of sin itself, whether secret or overt, is understood as a transgression against God. Sin is described as originating from an evil heart ^[4] and as an act of disobedience and dishonor to God ^[5]. All humanity is considered universally sinful, unable to find favor with God through their own actions ^[6]. Even after conversion, individuals may commit actual sins, and denying this makes one a "liar" in God's eyes ^[7]. Therefore, the ongoing need for confession, including secret sins, remains.

The practice of confessing secret sins in private prayer underscores the personal relationship between an individual and God, where all aspects of one's life, even those hidden from human view, are brought before the divine for forgiveness and purification.

Sources

King James Version “[KJV] Psalms 32:5 — I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.”
Psalms “Psalms 18:13 (DRC) — Who can understand sins? from my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord:”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Confession of Sin — God requires -- Le 5:5; Ho 5:15. God regards -- Job 33:27,28; Da 9:20-23. Exhortation to -- Jos 7:19; Jer 3:13; Jas 5:16. Promises to -- Le 26:40-42; Pr 28:13. Should be accompanied with Submission to punishment. -- Le 26:41; Ne 9:33; Ezr 9:13. Prayer for forgiveness. -- 2Sa 24:10; Ps 25:11; 51:1; Jer 14:7-9,20. Self-abasement. -- Isa 64:5,6; Jer 3:25. Godly sorrow. -- Ps 38:18; La 1:20. Forsaking sin. -- Pr 28:13. Restitution. -- Nu 5:6,7. Should be full and unreserved -- Ps 32:5; 51:3; 106:6. Followed by pardon -- Ps 32:5; 1Jo 1:9. Illustrated -”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Malice — Springs from an evil heart -- Mt 15:19,20; Ga 5:19. Forbidden -- 1Co 14:20; Col 3:8; Eph 4:26,27. A hindrance to growth in grace -- 1Pe 2:1,2. Incompatible with the worship of God -- 1Co 5:7,8. Christian liberty not to be a cloak for -- 1Pe 2:16. Saints avoid -- Job 31:29,30; Ps 35:12-14. The wicked Speak with. -- 3Jo 1:10. Live in. -- Tit 3:3. Conceive. -- Ps 7:14. Filled with. -- Ro 1:29. Visit saints with. -- Ps 83:3; Mt 22:6. Pray for those who injure you through -- Mt 5:44. Brings its own punishment -- Ps 7:15,16. God requites -- Ps 10:14; Eze 36:5. Pun”
Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 3:13: beguiled--cajoled by flattering lies. This sin of the first pair was heinous and aggravated--it was not simply eating an apple, but a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters--a preference of the creature to the Creator.”
Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:18: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12; Num 11:1; Jer 21:3-7) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually de”
1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 1:10: Parallel to Jo1 1:8. we have not sinned--referring to the commission of actual sins, even after regeneration and conversion; whereas in Jo1 1:8, "we have no sin," refers to the present GUILT remaining (until cleansed) from the actual sins committed, and to the SIN of our corrupt old nature still adhering to us. The perfect "have . . . sinned" brings down the commission of sins to the present time, not merely sins committed before, but since, conversion. we make him a liar--a gradation; Jo1 1:6, "we lie"; Jo1 1:8, "we deceive ourselves"; worst of al”
Ezra (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Ezra 10:11: Make confession - Acknowledge your sins before God, with deep compunction of heart, and the fullest resolution to forsake them.”
Daniel (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Daniel 9:4: We have here Daniel's prayer to God as his God, and the confession which he joined with that prayer: I prayed, and made my confession. Note, In every prayer we must make confession, not only of the sins we have been guilty of (which we commonly call confession), but of our faith in God and dependence upon him, our sorrow for sin and our resolutions against it. It must be our confession, must be the language of our own convictions and that which we ourselves do heartily subscribe to. Let us go over the several parts of this prayer, which we have reason to think that”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 32:5: I acknowledged my sin unto thee,.... The sin of Adam, in which he was concerned; original sin, the corruption of his nature, the sin that dwelt in him, his private and secret sins, which none knew but God and himself; even all his sins, which were many, with all their aggravated circumstances; wherefore he uses various words to express them by, in this and the following clauses; as "sin", "iniquity", and "transgressions"; the same that are used in the doctrine of pardon in the preceding verses; his confession being of the same extent with pardon, and all these he call”
Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 6:6: But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet,.... Or "chamber", a secret place, fit for private retirement, meditation, and prayer. And when thou hast shut thy door; see some such like phrases in Isa 26:20 where they are used to express security, here secrecy. Our Lord does not mean to exclude and condemn public prayer, in joining with few, or more persons, in such service; for he himself directs to it, and approves of it, Mat 18:19 but his view is to instruct persons that they should not only pray in public, but in private also; and especially the latter, whi”

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