What does Psalm 61:5 mean?

This prayer from David included a request for protection and assurance (Psalm 61:1–4). No event is formally connected to this writing. However, it may have been inspired by Absalom's rebellion and David's resulting evacuation (2 Samuel 15:13–14). That uprising threatened David's life, but if it succeeded, it would undo God's promises (2 Samuel 7:9–16). What David says here reaffirms his confidence in the Lord, based on prior experience.

The following verses are a direct prayer for David's rule to endure (Psalm 61:6–7). David's "heritage" can refer to his own descendants or to the people who remained loyal to his rule. David connects the faithfulness of those who honor God to those who remain subject to the Lord's anointed king.

While David was far from perfect, the pattern of his life was to obey God faithfully. While evading a powerful enemy, before he was king, David reaffirmed his submission to the Lord (Psalm 18:21). That included a willingness to follow all the instructions which God provided (Psalm 18:22).