You have indeed given us the privilege to declare your praises and your name. It is because of your grace that we can know and tell of what you have done in your wisdom.

It was according to your wisdom that you saved us. In your plan, you silenced our wisdom and efforts to save ourselves. In your wisdom, you shut the mouths of kings and wise men by doing what many could not believe.

What you did to save us was to send your son as your chosen sacrifice. In your wisdom, he had no form or majesty that we would notice him, nothing in his appearance that would attract us, no birth that drew our attention to him.

Instead, in your wisdom, your son was despised, weighed down with grief, hated, sinfully oppressed by those he came to save, wrongfully judged by those who should have worshipped him, sentenced to the death of the wicked.

And you brought all this about according to your infinite wisdom and your pleasure.

You were pleased to put our sorrows on him, so that your people could have a sympathetic intercessor.

You were pleased to put all our sin on him, so that you would be satisfied with the payment for the sin of your people.

You were pleased to crush him as our guilt offering, so that we would be counted as your people forever.

You have done all of this according to your wisdom and your pleasure. You have extended your favor, your grace, abundantly toward us, your people – all through your son, Jesus Christ.

Amen.