Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

¹⁰ Jacob left Beer-sheba and went towards Haran.¹¹He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place.¹²And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.¹³And the ^Lord stood beside him and said, ‘I am the ^Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring;¹⁴and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring.¹⁵Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’¹⁶Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the ^Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!’¹⁷And he was afraid, and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’

Psalm 16

Song of Trust and Security in God

A Miktam of David.¹ Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.² I say to the ^Lord, ‘You are my Lord;   I have no good apart from you.’ ³ As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,   in whom is all my delight. ⁴ Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;    their drink-offerings of blood I will not pour out   or take their names upon my lips. ⁵ The ^Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;   you hold my lot.⁶ The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;   I have a goodly heritage. ⁷ I bless the ^Lord who gives me counsel;   in the night also my heart instructs me.⁸ I keep the ^Lord always before me;   because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. ⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;   my body also rests secure.¹⁰ For you do not give me up to Sheol,   or let your faithful one see the Pit. ¹¹ You show me the path of life.   In your presence there is fullness of joy;   in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.