Psa 33:5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.

God loves His creation because He loves righteousness and justice. God's love is always directed to justify His purposes. If God loved anything outside of Himself then that thing or person would be part of the reason that God loves them. But God's love is founded upon the worthiness of the object. So God's reasons for loving anything outside of Himself are based upon His love for Himself. This is why God is free to in loving the object.

If God loved an object because of the object then He would need to lower His standard of righteousness. And if He lowered His standard then He would need to judge the object on a sliding scale. If He loved by adjusting His judgements He would cease to be God.

It is for our good and God's glory that He is free to love who He chooses not based upon anything outside of Himself. We know that when God speaks there is nothing outside of Himself that can thwart His word  This is why God has given us His word in absolute pronouncements. God must love us by acting according to His word without being thwarted.