Now, the one who created me surely knows what is best for me. God desires to be our Shepherd and to guide us on the path of life for our good and ultimately His glory. A shepherd needs to guide his sheep because sheep are prone to wander. Like sheep, humans are self-willed and proud; they will regularly take a wrong route if left to their own devices. God, our Shepherd, wants to direct us on the right path in every decision, if you will seek Him and follow Him. Not only that, God can also get you back on the right track if you’ve wandered away.
How many of us have ignored God’s directions and gone our own way, only to wind up lost? How many of us have gotten directions from the wrong sources—family, friends, or ourselves? God desires us to focus on Him and turn to him for every decision.
David tells us that God guides us in the paths of righteousness “for His name’s sake.” A name is much more than nomenclature. It represents reputation and character. It is a reflection of the heart. To do something for the sake of God’s name is to do it for the expansion of His glory and for the fame of His reputation. Simply put, God guides us in a way that brings Him glory. Through His Spirit, God leads us into the things of Christ, so we would discover the delight of having our souls satisfied with His presence.
David expressed it also this way in Psalm 34:3, “Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.” To magnify something is to make it appear bigger. It doesn’t make the thing any bigger than it actually is, but it makes it easier to see. We can’t make God’s
glory any bigger than it is, but we can certainly reflect His glory on a larger scale so that others will be able to see it as well.