Psalms 5:11 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

That love thy name— The name of a person or a thing is a Hebraism, whereby the person or thing is expressed. The propriety of this mode of speaking will appear stronger from the religion of names, as delivered by the Egyptians, and derived from them to the neighbouring states. The names of their tutelary deities were not only names of distinction, but likewise names of honour. The Deity, when asked his name by Moses, complied with this principle or custom, and assumed the name of JEHOVAH, by which he was considered as the peculiar tutelary deity of the Israelites. The love of his name, therefore, implying in it an abhorrence of idolatry, a strong confidence in him as their tutelary Deity, and a tacit obligation of obedience to his laws, is generally used in the Old Testament to express a religious conduct; and the frequent use of the word name, instead of the express mention of the divine person, will from hence appear to be no expletive, but to be consistent with the veneration which all nations had for the names of their deities, when used as terms of honour. See Div. Leg. vol. 2: Because thou defendest them, in the foregoing clause, may be rendered, And thou shalt overshadow them.