Feeling Of Dept

The Shem MiShmuel (5674) 

לשון מנשה יש לפרש מלשון נושה עפ"י מה שהגיד כ"ק אדמו"ר כהן הגדול זצללה"ה מאלכסנדר בפי' הכתוב שנאמר בדוד המע"ה שמואל א' כ"ב ויתקבצו אליו כל איש מצוק וכל איש אשר לו נושא (א' במקום ה') וכל איש מר נפש ופירש הוא זצללה"ה על עבודת ה' כל איש שהי' נפשו בצרה ומצוקה על מה שהרגיש מצבו כי ברעה הוא וכל איש אשר לו נושה שידע בעצמו שהוא בע"ח גדול מחובת הלבבות, והי' לו בעצמו הנושה שהי' נושה בעצמו בחזקה לשלם את חובתו, וכל איש מר נפש שהי' נפשו מרה עליו על התרחקו מאת פני ה' עכת"ד

He goes on to explain the machlokes between Yaakov and Yosef over if Efraim or Menasha should be first.  Yosef thought what should come first is one's feeling of responsibility toward Hashem and then one will be a proper receptacle to receive Godliness.  Therefore, Menashe, feeling indebted to Hashem must come before Efraim, before one can expand in kedusha.  However, Yaakov said one must not wait until one has sch a thirst for Godliness but one must apply themselves at all times to avodat Hashem. 

In the book Reb Shlomo (Freifeld) pg. 140-141 he says in the name of the Alexander a different idea which he took as a guiding principle for his life.  He says that despite these people's hardships and failures Dovif Hamelech still saw in them that they were איש, they were men full of potential which could be utilized.  That is what it means Dovid was טוב ראי, he was able to use his eyes to see properly, to see the vaue in the person despite the harsh external veneer.  

Maybe the two ideas go hand in hand.  What Dovid saw in them was that despite their lowly spiritual state, they felt a yearning, a dept that they owed to become better people.  Those where the types of people Dovid was looking to surround himself with.  People that weren't satisfied with the status quo.  Those that wanted to improve.  Even though they looked like damaged goods Dovid saw he colud light a spark within them.