After arriving in Jerusalem Ezra discovers that the people’s hearts were in worse

condition than the temple and city which still lay in ruins. Before proper repentance through confession can be made there must be an admission of guilt - “here we are before You, in our guilt” Rom 3:19 says

the whole world is guilty before God, the unsaved does not want to admit that

they are guilty, and sadly you have some in the church who believe the same lie

also. This is how repentance and restoration happens, after we admit our guilt.