Moses was a leader. Leaders may not do as common men.
And leaders may not be dealt with as followers. They stand too high in the air. They affect too many lives. So God said to Moses:

"You will not go into Canaan. You may lead them clear up to the line; you may even see over into the land, but you may not go in."
That hurt Moses deep down. It hurt God deeper down, in a heart more sensitive to hurt than was Moses'.

Without doubt it was said with reluctance, for Moses' sake. But it was said, plainly, irrevocably, for their sakes.
Moses' petition was for a reversal of this decision. Once and again he asked. He wanted to see that wondrous land of God's choosing.
He felt the sting too. The edge of the knife of discipline cut keenly, and the blood spurted.

But God said:-
"Do not speak to Me again of this."
The decision was not to be changed. For Moses' sake only He would gladly have changed, judging by His previous conduct. But for the sake of the nation - indeed, but for the sake of the prodigal world to be won back through this nation, the petition might not be granted.

That ungranted petition taught those millions the lesson of obedience, of reverence, as no command, or smoking mount, or drowning Egyptians had done. It became common talk in every tent, by every camp-fire of the tented nation.
"Moses disobeyed, he failed to reverence God - he cannot enter Canaan."

With hushed tones, and awed hearts and moved, strangely moved faces it passed from lip to lip. Some of the women and children wept. They all loved Moses. They revered him. How gladly they would have had him go over. The double-sided truth - obedience-disobedience - kept burning in through the years.

In after years many a Hebrew mother told her baby, eager for a story, of Moses their great leader; his appearance, deep-set eyes, long beard, majestic mien, yet infinite tenderness and gentleness, the softness of strength; his presence with God in the mount, the shining face.

And the baby would listen so quietly, and then the eyes would grow so big and the hush of spirit come as the mother would repeat softly, "but he could not come over into the land of promise because he did not obey God."

And strong fathers reminded their growing sons. And so it was woven into the warp and woof of the nation: obedience, reverent obedience to God. And one can well understand Moses looking down from above with grateful heart that he had been denied for their sakes.

The unselfishness and wisdom of later years would not have made the prayer.
The prayer of a man was denied that a nation might be taught obedience.