What does Psalm 61:6 mean?

David asks the Lord to extend the king's life; this psalm was probably written while David was, himself, the king. Because of this and earlier references to safety (Psalm 61:2), it's possible this song was a response to Absalom's rebellion (2 Samuel 15:13–14). David's prayer is based in a confidence (Psalm 61:5) that the Lord would keep His promises about David's kingship and his descendants (2 Samuel 7:9–16).

Other psalms celebrate God's guarantee that David's throne would be established and protected (Psalm 89:20–21). Further, the Lord promised, "The enemy shall not outwit him; the wicked shall not humble him. I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him" (Psalm 89:22–23). If Psalm 61 was composed because of Absalom's mutiny, the rebellious son suffered exactly that fate. During the uprising, Absalom's hair became tangled in the branches of a tree, and he was killed by David's men (2 Samuel 18:9–15).