The principal reason for the praise is that “he [God] chose us” (ἐξελέξατο). This term was commonly used in the LXX for God’s choice of individuals: He chose Abraham (Neh 9:7), Aaron (Ps 105:26 [104:26]), Moses (Sirach 45:4), David (1 Kings 11:34; Ps 78:70 [77:70]), and Eli’s father (1 Sam 2:28). Most importantly, he chose Jacob/Israel (Isa 41:8; 44:1–2) to set his love upon him and his descendants (Deut 7:7; 10:15) and for Jacob to be his own special possession (14:2). The verb is also used to speak of God’s choosing Christ. When God spoke from the cloud at the scene of the transfiguration, he said, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him” (Luke 9:35). The latter case, of course, does not mean that God has chosen Christ to experience redemption and the forgiveness of sins as is in view for the elect here, but that he chose Christ to fulfill a particular and indispensible role for securing salvation.