Deuteronomy 15:11

Never cease. This is referred to by Christ in Matt. 26:11. The need for generosity and Christian charity will never cease. James speaks of the poor as the ones God has chosen for Himself (James 2:5). The needy poor have a claim on those who are not poor; and the assistance they require should be given ungrudgingly, and not with a spirit of regret. The seeming contradiction here with v. 4 is due to the fact that v. 4 looks forward to the result of cooperating with the plan here set forth (see on v. 4). But the time would never come when there would be no opportunity to assist their fellow men.

Open thine hand wide. Literally, “opening, thou shalt open thine hand,” the Hebrew form of emphasis. The noun form of the word thus translated means “the doorway” of a tent (Gen. 18:1,2, 10), of a private house (Ex. 12:22), of the tabernacle (Ex. 38:8), and of a king’s house (2 Sam. 11:9). To “open thine hand wide” thus implies a sharing of the good things of one’s home.