Psalm 23:3 – God Does It For His Name

Daily Devotional Bible Verse

He restores my soul.
 He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3 ESV)

Why does God lead us and take care of us? We can probably list a number of reasons. A popular one may be, “Because of his love.” We know that God is love (1 John 4:8) and that we as Christians are to love above all (1 Peter 4:8). While these are true about God and love, they aren’t the only reason he takes care of and directs his people. Scripture teaches here that he does it “for his name’s sake”.

This isn’t an isolated verse or reason for God doing what he does throughout Scripture. We read in Ezekiel 20:14 that he took care of the Israelites in order that the foreign nations wouldn’t profane his name and the list of verses could go on. This can be hard concept to grasp. We would say a person is conceited and self centered if they do things or help others simply to look good, and have people fawn over them. But with God, this is no mere cockiness or arrogance, it is profound love.

In Psalm 109:21 we are told that God deals on our behalf because his steadfast love is good. God can be loving and also care about his name without the negative connotations that may seem to accompany it. He isn’t any of these negative things, because he is the best, because he is the strongest, because he is the kindest, because he loves the most and the greatest! And because of all of these things he deserves his name to be praised as he is above all other names.

In fact, God would be unloving if he made any less of himself, because drawing people to him will ever be for their greatest good. Understand this and be encouraged that we will be led and be taken care of by the Father, because he has a name worthy to be praised!

Thank God today for having a name that is above all names.