Devotions for the Poor

Proverbs 11:24

2007-03-20T17:16:00.000-04:00

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

Proverbs 10:15

2007-03-20T17:15:00.000-04:00

The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

Proverbs 10:3-4

2007-03-20T17:14:00.000-04:00

The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked. He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

Psalm 146:7-9

2007-03-10T00:10:00.002-05:00

Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners: The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loved the righteous: The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

Psalm 140:12

2007-03-10T00:10:00.001-05:00

I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.

Psalm 113:7-8

2007-03-10T00:09:00.001-05:00

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.

Psalm 112:9

2007-03-10T00:08:00.001-05:00

He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

Psalm 109:31

2007-03-10T00:07:00.000-05:00

For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.

Psalm 109:22

2007-03-10T00:05:00.000-05:00

For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

Psalm 109:9-10, 16

2007-03-10T00:04:00.002-05:00

Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow, Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places...

Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the borken in heart.

Psalm 107:41

2007-03-10T00:04:00.001-05:00

Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.

Psalm 107:35-36

2007-03-10T00:03:00.000-05:00

He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;

Psalm 94:6-7

2007-03-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.

Psalm 86:1

2007-03-09T23:59:00.000-05:00

Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.

Ezekiel 18:14

2007-02-10T09:56:00.000-05:00

Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like, ...Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment, That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgment, hath walked in my statuets; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.

Ezekiel 18:10, 12-13

2007-02-10T09:54:00.000-05:00

If he beget a son that ... Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoled by violence, hath not restroed the pledge, and had lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, ... he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

Ezeziel 18:5, 6-7, 9

2007-02-10T09:51:00.000-05:00

But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right... And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; ...he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.

Ezeziel 16:49

2007-02-10T09:49:00.000-05:00

Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idlesness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

Jeremiah 52:16

2007-02-10T09:46:00.000-05:00

Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive certain of the poor of the people, and the residue of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude.

But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left certain of the poor of the land for vinedressers and for husbandmen.

Jeremiah 49:11

2006-09-11T22:59:00.000-04:00

Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let they widows trust in me.

Jeremiah 39:10

2006-09-11T22:56:00.000-04:00

But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and have them vineyards and field at the same time.

Psalm 74:21

2006-09-11T22:53:00.000-04:00

O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name.

Psalm 72:12-14

2006-09-11T22:52:00.000-04:00

For he shall deliver the meedy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.

Psalm 72:1-4

2006-09-11T22:50:00.000-04:00

Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. He shall jude the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

Psalm 69:33

2006-09-11T22:49:00.000-04:00

For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

Psalm 68:10

2006-09-11T22:48:00.000-04:00

Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.

Psalm 68:5

2006-09-11T22:47:00.000-04:00

A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

Psalm 37:14

2006-09-11T22:46:00.000-04:00

The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.

Leviticus 19:15

2006-09-11T22:27:00.000-04:00

Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.

Leviticus 19:10

2006-09-11T22:26:00.000-04:00

And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of they vineyard; though shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God.

Jeremiah 22:13, 15-17

2006-05-26T09:54:00.000-04:00

Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work...

Shalt thou reign, because thou closest theyself in cedar? did not they father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him? He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the Lord. But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it.

Jeremiah 22:3-6

2006-05-26T09:52:00.000-04:00

Thus saith the Lord; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place. For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on hourses, he, and his servants, and his people. But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the Lord, taht his house shall become a desolation.

Jeremiah 7:6-7

2006-05-26T09:50:00.000-04:00

If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.

Psalm 14:6

2006-05-26T09:47:00.000-04:00

Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his refuge.

Psalm 12:5

2006-05-26T09:46:00.000-04:00

For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.

Psalm 10:8-11, 14, 17-18

2006-05-26T09:40:00.001-04:00

He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor. He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. He crouchet, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones. He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it...

Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless...

Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

Psalm 10:2

2006-05-26T09:40:00.000-04:00

The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

Psalm 9:18

2006-05-26T09:39:00.000-04:00

For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.

Job 29:12, 15-16

2006-05-06T09:47:00.000-04:00

Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him...

I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

Job 31:16-19

2006-05-06T09:45:00.000-04:00

If I have withhheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof; (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;) If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering...

Job 30:25

2006-05-06T09:44:00.000-04:00

Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul greived for the poor?

Exodus 30:15

2006-05-06T09:42:00.000-04:00

The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls.

Exodus 23:11-12

2006-05-06T09:40:00.000-04:00

But the seventh year thou shalt let it [the land] rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beass of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.

Six days thou shalt do they work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.

Exodus 23:3, 6

2006-05-06T09:38:00.000-04:00

Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause...

Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of they poor in his cause.

Exodus 22:25-27

2006-05-06T09:36:00.000-04:00

If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

If thou at all take thy neighbor's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:

For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.

Exodus 22:21-24

2006-05-06T09:34:00.000-04:00

Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.

If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;

Any my wrath whall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

Luke 9:48

2006-04-24T08:48:00.000-04:00

And [Jesus] said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.

Jeremiah 5:28-29

2006-04-24T08:44:00.000-04:00

They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

Job 24:3-4, 7-10, 14

2006-04-24T08:41:00.000-04:00

They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge. They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hid themselves together...

They cause the nakedto lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold. They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter...

The murdere rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.

Isaiah 66:2

2006-04-17T12:51:00.000-04:00

For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

Luke 7:22

2006-04-17T12:27:00.000-04:00

Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

Isaiah 58:10

2006-04-07T16:59:00.000-04:00

And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day[...]

Isaiah 58:6-7

2006-04-07T16:54:00.000-04:00

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

Luke 6:20

2006-03-29T15:51:00.000-05:00

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for your's is the kingdom of God.

Luke 4:18

2006-03-29T15:44:00.000-05:00

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hat hanointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.

Luke 3:10-11

2006-03-29T15:40:00.000-05:00

And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath neat, let him do likewise.

Luke 1:52-53

2006-03-27T16:32:00.000-05:00

He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

Mark 14:4-7

2006-03-27T16:29:00.000-05:00

And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; shy trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

Mark 12:42-44

2006-03-27T16:27:00.000-05:00

And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mies, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That his poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which hae cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

Mark 10:21

2006-03-27T16:02:00.000-05:00

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go they way, sell whatsover thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

II Samuel 22:28a

2006-03-27T15:49:00.000-05:00

And the afflicted people thou wilt save[.]

Matthew 25:34-40

2006-02-21T14:36:00.000-05:00

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye have me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Naked, and ye clotehd me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thrist, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when aw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Isaiah 26:5-6

2006-02-16T13:35:00.000-05:00

For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust

The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.

Isaiah 25:4

2006-02-16T13:31:00.000-05:00

For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

Esther 9:22

2006-02-15T15:54:00.000-05:00

As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.

Matthew 19:29

2006-02-02T11:18:00.000-05:00

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

Matthew 19:21

2006-02-02T11:08:00.000-05:00

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Matthew 11:5

2006-01-31T15:22:00.000-05:00

The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them.

Nehemiah 5:15, 18b-19

2006-01-27T13:20:00.000-05:00

But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God. . .

. . . yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

Nehemiah 5:6-13

2006-01-27T13:18:00.000-05:00

And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.

Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.

And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen: and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.

Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?

I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.

Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.

Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and form his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord. And the people did according to this promise.

Nehemiah 5:1-5

2006-01-27T13:17:00.000-05:00

And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.

Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.

There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children astheir children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to rredeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

Isaiah 14:32

2006-01-23T15:17:00.000-05:00

What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.

Isaiah 14:30

2006-01-23T15:00:00.000-05:00

And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant.

Isaiah 11:4

2006-01-23T14:51:00.000-05:00

But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

Isaiah 10:1-4

2006-01-23T14:47:00.000-05:00

Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;
To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!
And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?
Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Isaiah 9:14, 17

2006-01-23T14:29:00.000-05:00

Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day...

Therefore the Lord shal have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Matthew 6:31-32

2006-01-18T14:41:00.000-05:00

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Isaiah 5:8

2006-01-11T12:31:00.000-05:00

Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!

Isaiah 1:23-24

2006-01-10T14:26:00.000-05:00

Thy princes are rebellious and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies.

Isaiah 1:17

2006-01-10T14:25:00.000-05:00

Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

Opening

2006-01-10T13:59:00.000-05:00

I can't help but notice how often treatment of the poor comes up in the Bible, so I decided to start this project to try to collect verses on the topic. The project has a couple of purposes. First, it is meant to help give an overview of how God feels about the poor and what we should do about that. Second, it is meant to be an accountability tool for me. My goal this year is to read the entire Bible. I placed markers at the beginning of Genesis, I Samuel, Ezra, Isaiah, and Matthew. Five days a week I'll choose three chapters to read, and twice a week I'll read four. The markers are in different places to provide some flexibility, so I don't get discouraged reading nothing but Deuteronomy for a month. As I come across verses that apply to this project, the idea is that I post them here. If I haven't posted in a while, that means either (a) all my markers are in geneology sections, or (b) my priorities have slipped out of place and I'm not keeping up with reading. Feel free to gently remind me by email or comment should this happen.

Verses will be in KJV because that's what I like to read. Maybe next year I'll branch out and read NASB or ESV or something. I just like the poetry and grace of the language in KJV, and it's what I'm used to.