Peter had been speaking about “those who do not believe” (1 Peter 2:7–8). The “you” Peter now refers to are the “you who believe” of 1 Peter 2:7, and hence the people the Lord is sovereignly building up into his spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5), the ones connected to and tied together by the cornerstone Jesus Christ. These are Peter’s addressees in this letter, the “elect exiles” of 1 Peter 1:1. To these people Peter now attaches four descriptive and desirable phrases all rooted in Old Testament revelation.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.