“Sometimes I Feel like a Motherless Child:” Considering the Metaphor of Divine Adoption in the Context of Trauma

This article will explore the rhetorical and theological significance of metaphor divine adoption in Hebrew Bible. In Ps 22:10–11 71:6–9 God is not only said to pull psalmist out his/her mother’s womb, but a context which many mothers all too often died childbirth, newborn cast upon who steps as adoptive mother. idea further found Psalm 68:5 when described “Father orphans… [who] gives desolate home live in”. And 27:9–10, praised by “God my salvation!” saying that “if father mother forsake me, Lord take me up”. fathers either have or forsaken their children, thus portrayed parent who, evident creative reinterpretation African American spiritual referenced title essay serves “Mother motherless, fatherless”. I argue it important keep mind complexities associated with this metaphor, includes multiple layers trauma origin reception also process ongoing relationship between adopted child may be fraught ambiguity. Read individual collective trauma, makes case for interpretative potential times people literally figuratively felt, still feeling, like motherless (and fatherless) children.