The Bible shows that God cares deeply for the poor and expects His people to share that care. "He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor" (Proverbs 14:31). God commanded Israel, "Thou shalt open thine hand wide" (Deuteronomy 15:11), and Jesus began a sermon with "Blessed be ye poor" (Luke 6:20).
November and December are the season of food drives, coat collections, Giving Tuesday and Christmas appeals. They can also be the hardest months of the year for families who are struggling to pay for heat, food or presents. The Bible speaks about the poor hundreds of times, and it does so in two directions. It comforts people who are poor, assuring them that God sees and defends them. And it calls everyone else to open their hands and their mouths: to share, to treat the poor with dignity, and to speak up for them. These twelve King James verses show the God who lifts up the needy, what He asks of His people, and how Jesus treated the poor. For generosity in general, see giving; for practical service, see helping other people.
The God who lifts up the poor
1. Psalms 113:7-8
"He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people."
This psalm almost repeats Hannah's song (1 Samuel 2:8), and Mary echoes the same theme in her song before Jesus' birth: God "exalted them of low degree" (Luke 1:52). The God who is high above the heavens (Psalm 113:4-5) bends down to lift the poor out of the dust and seat them with princes. In God's eyes the poor are royalty-in-waiting, not a problem to be managed.
2. Psalms 140:12
"I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor."
I know: David speaks with confidence. God will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. The language is from the courtroom: God is the advocate of people who cannot afford a lawyer and are easily ignored. If you are being treated unfairly because you have little, the Judge of all the earth is on your side.
3. Psalms 9:18
"For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever."
Poverty often comes with the feeling of being invisible: overlooked in line, talked over in meetings, forgotten in policy. This verse is a promise against that: the needy shall not alway be forgotten, and their hope shall not perish for ever. God keeps a record that no one else keeps. Jesus said even a sparrow is not forgotten before God (Luke 12:6).
4. Psalms 70:5
"But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying."
Psalm 70 is a short, urgent prayer, and David is not ashamed to say I am poor and needy. It is a model prayer for anyone facing a bill they cannot pay or a month that will not stretch: honest, direct, asking God to make no tarrying. The same words appear in another psalm, which adds, "yet the Lord thinketh upon me" (Psalm 40:17). God's people have always prayed like this.
What God asks of His people
5. Deuteronomy 15:11
"For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land."
This command sits in the law of the seventh year, when debts between Israelites were to be released (Deuteronomy 15:1-2). God is realistic that poverty will continue in a broken world, and His response is not resignation but generosity: open thine hand wide. Jesus echoed this verse when He said the poor would always be with His disciples (Mark 14:7).
6. Leviticus 19:10
"And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God."
Farmers were not to strip every last grape or harvest every corner; they left some for the poor and stranger to gather. This gleaning law is how Ruth, a poor widow and a foreigner, fed herself and Naomi in Boaz's field (Ruth 2:2-3). It built generosity into ordinary work and let the poor provide with dignity. At harvest and Thanksgiving it is a good question: what are my corners that could be left for others?
7. Proverbs 14:31
"He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor."
Every poor person is made in the image of God, so how we treat them is how we treat their Maker. To oppress or mock the poor insults God; to show them mercy honours Him. Proverbs 17:5 says the same, and Proverbs 19:17 adds that kindness to the poor is like a loan to the LORD. This verse makes poverty a matter of worship, not only economics.
8. Proverbs 31:9
"Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy."
These are the words of King Lemuel's mother, teaching her son how to rule (Proverbs 31:1). Leaders must open thy mouth for people who cannot speak up for themselves, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. Speaking up for the poor might mean making a phone call, writing a letter, or simply refusing to join in contempt for people who are struggling.
Jesus and the poor
9. Luke 6:20
"And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God."
In Luke's Sermon on the Plain, Jesus looks at His disciples, many of them fishermen and ordinary working people, and says Blessed be ye poor. Matthew records "poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3), but Luke keeps the material sense too: God's kingdom belongs to people the world counts least. Jesus Himself was laid in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:7).
10. James 2:5
"Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?"
James warned a church against giving the best seats to rich visitors while telling poor ones to stand at the back (James 2:1-4). He reminds them that God has chosen the poor of this world rich in faith. Many of the most faithful believers in history have been materially poor. Favouritism toward the wealthy has no place in the family of God.
11. Galatians 2:10
"Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do."
When the leaders of the Jerusalem church, James, Peter and John, shook hands with Paul over his mission to the Gentiles, they asked only one thing: remember the poor. Paul says he was eager to do it, and he later organised a large collection for poor believers in Jerusalem (Romans 15:26). Caring for the poor was a sign of unity in the early church.
12. Luke 3:11
"He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise."
When crowds asked John the Baptist what repentance should look like, his answer was simple and practical: if you have two coats, give one away; if you have food, share it. It is a good guide for a winter coat drive or a food bank donation. Real change of heart shows up in our closets and kitchens. See repentance.
A short prayer
Father, You lift up the poor from the dust and You never forget the needy. Where I am struggling, help me trust You and give me the courage to ask for help. Where I have more than I need, open my hands wide and soften my heart. Forgive me for looking past people who are poor, and teach me to treat every person with dignity as someone made in Your image. Show me who I can help this season and how to speak up for those who have no voice. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Pray for people in need each day with the 30-Day Prayer Journal · Memorize Proverbs 14:31 and Luke 3:11 with Scripture Memory Cards · Print our free Thanksgiving printable as a reminder to share
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about helping the poor?
It commands generosity and justice for the poor throughout both Testaments. Israel was told to leave gleanings (Leviticus 19:10) and to "open thine hand wide" (Deuteronomy 15:11); the prophets condemned oppression of the poor; Jesus praised giving to those who cannot repay (Luke 14:13-14); and the early church made sure "Neither was there any among them that lacked" (Acts 4:34). See helping other people and widows.
Did Jesus say the poor will always be with us?
Yes, but not as an excuse. Jesus said, "For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good" (Mark 14:7). He was echoing Deuteronomy 15:11, where the same fact leads to a command to be generous. The point is that there will always be opportunities to do good, not that helping is pointless.
Is being poor a sign that God is displeased?
No. "The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all" (Proverbs 22:2). Poverty can come from injustice, illness, disaster or many other causes, and the Bible never treats poor people as less loved by God. Jesus Himself chose poverty for our sake: "though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor" (2 Corinthians 8:9).
How can I help the poor wisely this holiday season?
Give through local churches, food banks and shelters that know their neighbours' needs, and consider giving your time as well as money. Protect people's dignity: Jesus taught, "let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth" (Matthew 6:3). Look for ongoing relationships rather than one-time gestures. See giving, hospitality and selfishness.
If you are struggling to afford food, housing or utilities, in the US you can call or text 211 to reach free, confidential help finding local services. Many churches and food banks also help quietly, with no questions asked.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Giving · Helping other people · Widows · Kindness · Hospitality · Selfishness · Money · Thanksgiving
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